AU2016210636B2 - Keto-isovalerate decarboxylase enzymes and methods of use thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

OF THE INVENTION Provided herein are polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides which have ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity. Also provided are recombinant host cells comprising such polypeptides and polynucleotides and methods of use thereof. Specificity Ratios for a-KIVPyruvate for Various KivDs 250.0 - D Mca 200.0 - H Lactis 150.0 -mKdcA 100.0 - KivD81 a Kv/ pyruvate

Description

TITLE

KET0-ISOVALE RATE DECARBOXYLASE ENZYMES AND METHODS

OF USE THEREOF

The present Application is a Divisional Application from Australian Patent Application No. 2012286640. The entire disclosures of Australian Patent Application No. 2012286640 and its corresponding International Patent Application No. PCT/US2012/048737, are incorporated herein by reference. GOVERNMENT LICENSE RIGHTS This invention was made with Government support under Agreement DE-AR0000006 awarded by the United States Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in this invention. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/512,866, filed July 28, 2011, herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to polypeptides having a-keto-isovalerate decarboxylase activity suited for performance in isobutanol production pathways. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Butanol is an important industrial chemical, useful as a fuel additive, as a feedstock chemical in the plastics industry, and as a food grade extractant in the food and flavor industry. Each year 10 to 12 billion pounds of butanol are produced by petrochemical means and the need for this commodity chemical will likely increase in the future.

Methods for the chemical synthesis of the butanol isomer isobutanol are known, such as oxo synthesis, catalytic hydrogenation of carbon monoxide (Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 6th edition, 2003, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co., Weinheim, Germany, Vol. 5, pp. 716-719) and Guerbet condensation of methanol with n-propanol (Carlini etal., J. Molec. Catal. A. Chem. 220:215-220, 2004). These processes use starting materials derived from petrochemicals. The production of isobutanol from plant-derived raw materials could minimize the use of fossil fuels and would represent an advance in the art. U.S. Patent No. 7,851,188 describes enzymatic pathways for the production of isobutanol in recombinant microorganisms. The penultimate step in one metabolic pathway described therein for the production of isobutanol is the conversion of a-ketoisovaierate to isobutyraldehyde. There remains a need in the art to identify additional enzymes that are suitable for use in isobutanol biosynthetic pathways.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Provided herein are recombinant host cells and methods of converting α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde employing the polypeptides disclosed. In embodiments, methods comprise: (a) providing a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises at least one of: (i) at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51 or an active fragment thereof; and (ii) α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity, a specificity ratio for a-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate greater than about 1 and thiamine diphosphate cofactor activation constant (Kc) of about 50 μΜ or less; and (b) contacting said polypeptide with α-ketoisovalerate under conditions wherein isobutyraldehyde is produced. In embodiments, the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51. In embodiments, the polypeptide comprises a sequence from Listeria grayi or Macrococcus caseolyticus. In embodiments, the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51. In embodiments, the contacting occurs in the presence of less than about 30 mg/L, less than about 20 mg/L, or less than about 10 mg/L thiamine. In embodiments, the contacting occurs within a recombinant host cell and wherein the polypeptide is heterologous to the recombinant host cell. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is a member of the genera Clostridium, Zymomonas, Escherichia,

Salmonella, Serratia, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Shigella, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Alcaligenes, Klebsiella, Paenibacillus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Schizosaccharomyces, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia, Pichia, Candida, Hansenula, or Saccharomyces. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises heterologous polynucleotides encoding polypeptides which catalyze the substrate to product conversions: (a) pyruvate to acetolactate; (b) acetolactate to 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate; and (c) 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to 2-ketoisovalerate. In embodiments, the host cell further comprises a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which catalyzes the substrate to product conversion isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises reduced or eliminated pyruvate decarboxylase activity. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell comprises deletion of fra2. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell comprises reduced or eliminated glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity.

Provided herein also are methods of producing isobutanol comprising: (a) providing a recombinant host cell comprising an isobutanol production pathway, the production pathway comprising a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises at least one of: (i) at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51 or an active fragment thereof; and (ii) a-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity, a specificity ratio for a-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate greater than 1, and thiamine diphosphate cofactor activation constant (Kc) of about 50 μΜ or less; and (b) contacting the recombinant host cell with a carbon substrate under conditions whereby isobutanol is produced. In embodiments, the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51. In embodiments, the polypeptide comprises a sequence from Listeria gray! ox Macrococcus caseolyticus. In embodiments, the polypeptide has a KIVD cluster profile HMM E value of less than 1E-223 using the hmmsearch program. In embodiments, the methods further comprise isolating the isobutanol, and in embodiments, isolating comprises liquid-liquid extraction. In embodiments, the extractant for liquid-liquid extraction comprises C12 to C22 fatty alcohols, C12 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C12 to C22 fatty acids, C12 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In embodiments, methods of producing isobutanol provided herein comprise: (a) providing a recombinant host cell comprising an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway comprising a polypeptide having at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51; and (b) contacting the recombinant host cell with a carbon substrate under conditions whereby isobutanol is produced. In embodiments, the contacting occurs in the presence of less than about 30 g/L thiamine.

In embodiments, methods and recombinant host cells provided herein comprise polypeptides having at least about 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 98% identity to SEQ ID NO: SEQ ID NO: 51 or an active fragment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND INCORPORATION OF THE SEQUENCE LISTING AND TABLE FILED ELECTRONICALLY

HEREWITH FIG. 1 depicts specificity ratio data for the substrates a-ketoisovalerate and pyruvate for example KIVD polypeptides (from left to right: Mca, L lactis, KdcA, kivD81). FIG. 2 demonstrates yields of α-ketoisovalerate and pyruvate in the presence of 0 mg/L, 1 mg/L and 30 mg/L thiamine for recombinant host cells as described in the Examples. FIG. 3 shows the concentration of α-ketoisovalerate over the fermentation time for recombinant host cells in the presence of 0, 1 mg/L, and 30 mg/L thiamine as described in the Examples.

Table Z filed electronically herewith and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety is the KIVD cluster Profile HMM described herein. Table Z forms part of the specification.

The sequences provided in the sequence listing filed herewith (20120727_CL5253USNP_SEQ_ST25.txt; Size: 1,304,771 bytes bytes; Creation date: July 26, 2012), herein incorporated by reference, conform with 37 C.F.R. 1.821-1.825 (“Requirements for Patent Applications Containing Nucleotide Sequences and/or Amino Acid Sequence Disclosures - the Sequence Rules”) and are consistent with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Standard ST.25 (2009) and the sequence listing requirements of the EPO and PCT (Rules 5.2 and 49.5(a-pis), and Section 208 and Annex C of the Administrative Instructions). The symbols and format used for nucleotide and amino acid sequence data comply with the rules set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.822.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In case of conflict, the present application including the definitions will control. Also, unless otherwise required by context, singular terms shall include pluralities and plural terms shall include the singular. All publications, patents and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

In order to further define this invention, the following terms and definitions are herein provided.

As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," "contains" or "containing," or any other variation thereof, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. For example, a composition, a mixture, a process, a method, an article, or an apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

As used herein, the term "consists of," or variations such as "consist of" or "consisting of," as used throughout the specification and claims, indicate the inclusion of any recited integer or group of integers, but that no additional integer or group of integers may be added to the specified method, structure, or composition.

As used herein, the term "consists essentially of," or variations such as “consist essentially of or "consisting essentially of," as used throughout the specification and claims, indicate the inclusion of any recited integer or group of integers, and the optional inclusion of any recited integer or group of integers that do not materially change the basic or novel properties of the specified method, structure or composition. See M.P.E.P. § 2111.03.

Also, the indefinite articles "a" and "an" preceding an element or component of the invention are intended to be nonrestrictive regarding the number of instances, i.e., occurrences of the element or component. Therefore "a" or "an" should be read to include one or at least one, and the singular word form of the element or component also includes the plural unless the number is obviously meant to be singular.

The term "invention" or "present invention" as used herein is a nonlimiting term and is not intended to refer to any single embodiment of the particular invention but encompasses all possible embodiments as described in the application.

As used herein, the term "about" modifying the quantity of an ingredient or reactant of the invention employed refers to variation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, through typical measuring and liquid handling procedures used for making concentrates or solutions in the real world; through inadvertent error in these procedures; through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients employed to make the compositions or to carry out the methods; and the like. The term "about" also encompasses amounts that differ due to different equilibrium conditions for a composition resulting from a particular initial mixture. Whether or not modified by the term "about", the claims include equivalents to the quantities. In one embodiment, the term "about" means within 10% of the reported numerical value, preferably within 5% of the reported numerical value.

The term “isobutanol biosynthetic pathway” refers to the enzymatic pathway to produce isobutanol. From time to time “isobutanol biosynthetic pathway” is used synonymously with “isobutanol production pathway”.

The term "carbon substrate" or "fermentable carbon substrate" refers to a carbon source capable of being metabolized by the recombinant host cells disclosed herein. Non-limiting examples of carbon substrates are provided herein and include, but are not limited to, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, ethanol, lactate, succinate, glycerol, carbon dioxide, methanol, glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, arabinose, dextrose, one-carbon substrates or mixtures thereof.

The term “effective titer” as used herein, refers to the total amount of isobutanol produced by fermentation per liter of fermentation medium. The total amount of isobutanol includes: (i) the amount of isobutanol in the fermentation medium; (ii) the amount of isobutanol recovered from the fermentation medium, for example, by contact with an organic extractant; and (iii) the amount of isobutanol recovered from the gas phase, if gas stripping is used.

The term “effective rate” as used herein, refers to the total amount of isobutanol produced by fermentation per liter of fermentation medium per hour of fermentation.

The term “effective yield” as used herein, refers to the amount of isobutanol produced per unit of fermentable carbon substrate consumed by the biocatalyst.

The term “acetolactate synthase” refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to acetolactate and CO2. Acetolactate has two stereoisomers ((R) and (S)); the enzyme prefers the (S)- isomer, which is made by biological systems. Acetolactate synthases may be classified as EC number 2.2.1.6 (Enzyme Nomenclature 1992, Academic Press, San Diego).

The term “ketol-acid reductoisomerase” (abbreviated “KARI”), and “acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase” will be used interchangeably and refer to enzymes capable of catalyzing the reaction of (S)-acetolactate to 2.3- dihydroxyisovalerate. KARI enzymes may be classified as EC number EC 1.1.1.86 (Enzyme Nomenclature 1992, Academic Press, San Diego).

The terms “acetohydroxy acid dehydratase” and “dihydroxyacid dehydratase” (DHAD) refer to an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 2.3- dihydroxyisovalerate to α-ketoisovalerate. Acetohydroxy acid dehydratases may be classified as EC number 4.2.1.9 and are available from a vast array of microorganisms.

The term “branched-chain α-keto acid decarboxylase” or “a-ketoacid decarboxylase” or “α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase” or “2-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase” (herein also referred to as ketoisovalerate decarboxylase or, from time to time, KIVD) refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of a-ketoisovalerate (“α-Kiv”) to isobutyraldehyde and CO2. Ketoisovalerate decarboxylase sequences are available from a number of microorganism sources, including those disclosed herein.

The term “branched-chain alcohol dehydrogenase” refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol. Branched-chain alcohol dehydrogenases may be classified as EC number 1.1.1.265, but may also be classified under other alcohol dehydrogenases (specifically, EC 1.1.1.1 or 1.1.1.2).

The term “KIVD cluster Profile HMM” refers to the Profile Hidden Markov Model prepared as disclosed herein. The KIVD cluster Profile HMM is provided as Table Z.

The term “isolated nucleic acid molecule”, “isolated nucleic acid fragment” and “genetic construct” will be used interchangeably and will mean a polymer of RNA or DNA that is single- or double-stranded, optionally containing synthetic, non-natural or altered nucleotide bases. An isolated nucleic acid fragment in the form of a polymer of DNA may be comprised of one or more segments of cDNA, genomic DNA or synthetic DNA.

The term “amino acid” refers to the basic chemical structural unit of a protein or polypeptide. The following abbreviations are used herein to identify specific amino acids:

Table 1: Amino Acids

The term “gene” refers to a nucleic acid fragment that is capable of being expressed as a specific protein, optionally including regulatory sequences preceding (5' non-coding sequences) and following (3' noncoding sequences) the coding sequence. “Native gene” refers to a gene as found in nature with its own regulatory sequences. “Chimeric gene” refers to any gene that is not a native gene, comprising regulatory and coding sequences that are not found together in nature. Accordingly, a chimeric gene may comprise regulatory sequences and coding sequences that are derived from different sources, or regulatory sequences and coding sequences derived from the same source, but arranged in a manner different than that found in nature. “Endogenous gene” refers to a native gene in its natural location in the genome of a microorganism. A “foreign” gene refers to a gene not normally found in the host microorganism, but that is introduced into the host microorganism by gene transfer. For example, foreign genes can comprise native genes inserted into a non-native microorganism, or chimeric genes. Foreign genes can also comprise, for example, native genes with mutations that change an amino acid residue of an encoded polypeptide. A “transgene” is a gene that has been introduced into the genome by a transformation procedure.

As used herein the term “coding sequence” refers to a DNA sequence that encodes for a specific amino acid sequence. “Suitable regulatory sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5' non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (3' non-coding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. Regulatory sequences may include promoters, translation leader sequences, introns, polyadenylation recognition sequences, RNA processing site, effector binding site and stem-loop structure.

The term "endogenous," when used in reference to a polynucleotide, a gene, or a polypeptide refers to a native polynucleotide or gene in its natural location in the genome of an organism, or for a native polypeptide, is transcribed and translated from this location in the genome.

The term "heterologous" when used in reference to a polynucleotide, a gene, or a polypeptide refers to a polynucleotide, gene, or polypeptide not normally found in the host organism. "Heterologous" also includes a native coding region, or portion thereof, that is reintroduced into the source organism in a form that is different from the corresponding native gene, e.g., not in its natural location in the organism's genome. The heterologous polynucleotide or gene may be introduced into the host organism by, e.g., gene transfer. A heterologous gene may include a native coding region with non-native regulatory regions that is reintroduced into the native host. A "transgene" is a gene that has been introduced into the genome by a transformation procedure.

The term "recombinant genetic expression element" refers to a nucleic acid fragment that expresses one or more specific proteins, including regulatory sequences preceding (5' non-coding sequences) and following (3' termination sequences) coding sequences for the proteins. A chimeric gene is a recombinant genetic expression element. The coding regions of an operon may form a recombinant genetic expression element, along with an operably linked promoter and termination region. "Regulatory sequences" refers to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5' non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (3' noncoding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. Regulatory sequences may include promoters, enhancers, operators, repressors, transcription termination signals, translation leader sequences, introns, polyadenylation recognition sequences, RNA processing site, effector binding site and stem-loop structure.

The term "promoter" refers to a nucleic acid sequence capable of controlling the expression of a coding sequence or functional RNA. In general, a coding sequence is located 3' to a promoter sequence. Promoters may be derived in their entirety from a native gene, or be composed of different elements derived from different promoters found in nature, or even comprise synthetic nucleic acid segments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that different promoters may direct the expression of a gene in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to different environmental or physiological conditions. Promoters which cause a gene to be expressed in most cell types at most times are commonly referred to as "constitutive promoters". "Inducible promoters," on the other hand, cause a gene to be expressed when the promoter is induced or turned on by a promoter-specific signal or molecule. It is further recognized that since in most cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined, DNA fragments of different lengths may have identical promoter activity. For example, it will be understood that “FBA1 promoter” can be used to refer to a fragment derived from the promoter region of the FBA1 gene.

The term “terminator” as used herein refers to DNA sequences located downstream of a coding sequence. This includes polyadenylation recognition sequences and other sequences encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting mRNA processing or gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3’ end of the mRNA precursor. The 3’ region can influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. It is recognized that since in most cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined, DNA fragments of different lengths may have identical terminator activity. For example, it will be understood that “CYC1 terminator” can be used to refer to a fragment derived from the terminator region of the CYC1 gene.

The term “operably linked” refers to the association of nucleic acid sequences on a single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is affected by the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of effecting the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in sense or antisense orientation.

The term “expression”, as used herein, refers to the transcription and stable accumulation of sense (mRNA) or antisense RNA derived from the nucleic acid fragment of the invention. Expression may also refer to translation of mRNA into a polypeptide.

As used herein the term “transformation” refers to the transfer of a nucleic acid fragment into the genome of a host microorganism, resulting in genetically stable inheritance. Host microorganisms containing the transformed nucleic acid fragments are referred to as “transgenic” or “recombinant” or “transformed” microorganisms.

The terms “plasmid”, “vector” and “cassette” refer to an extra chromosomal element often carrying genes which are not part of the central metabolism of the cell, and usually in the form of circular double-stranded DNA fragments. Such elements may be autonomously replicating sequences, genome integrating sequences, phage or nucleotide sequences, linear or circular, of a single- or double-stranded DNA or RNA, derived from any source, in which a number of nucleotide sequences have been joined or recombined into a unique construction which is capable of introducing a promoter fragment and DNA sequence for a selected gene product along with appropriate 3' untranslated sequence into a cell. “Transformation cassette” refers to a specific vector containing a foreign gene and having elements in addition to the foreign gene that facilitates transformation of a particular host cell. “Expression cassette” refers to a specific vector containing a foreign gene and having elements in addition to the foreign gene that allow for enhanced expression of that gene in a foreign host.

The term "complementary" is used to describe the relationship between nucleotide bases that are capable of hybridizing to one another. For example, with respect to DNA, adenine is complementary to thymine and cytosine is complementary to guanine, and with respect to RNA, adenine is complementary to uracil and cytosine is complementary to guanine.

Deviations in the nucleotide sequence that comprise the codons encoding the amino acids of any polypeptide chain allow for variations in the sequence coding for the gene. Since each codon consists of three nucleotides, and the nucleotides comprising DNA are restricted to four specific bases, there are 64 possible combinations of nucleotides, 61 of which encode amino acids (the remaining three codons encode signals ending translation). The "genetic code" which shows which codons encode which amino acids is reproduced herein as Table 2. As a result, many amino acids are designated by more than one codon. For example, the amino acids alanine and proline are coded for by four triplets, serine and arginine by six, whereas tryptophan and methionine are coded by just one triplet. This degeneracy allows for DNA base composition to vary over a wide range without altering the amino acid sequence of the proteins encoded by the DNA.

Table 2. The Standard Genetic Code

Many organisms display a bias for use of particular codons to code for insertion of a particular amino acid in a growing peptide chain. Codon preference, or codon bias, differences in codon usage between organisms, is afforded by degeneracy of the genetic code, and is well documented among many organisms. Codon bias often correlates with the efficiency of translation of messenger RNA (mRNA), which is in turn believed to be dependent on, inter alia, the properties of the codons being translated and the availability of particular transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules. The predominance of selected tRNAs in a cell is generally a reflection of the codons used most frequently in peptide synthesis. Accordingly, genes can be tailored for optimal gene expression in a given organism based on codon optimization.

The term "codon-optimized" as it refers to genes or coding regions of nucleic acid molecules for transformation of various hosts, refers to the alteration of codons in the gene or coding regions of the nucleic acid molecules to reflect the typical codon usage of the host organism without altering the polypeptide encoded by the DNA. Such optimization includes replacing at least one, or more than one, or a significant number, of codons with one or more codons that are more frequently used in the genes of that organism.

Given the large number of gene sequences available for a wide variety of animal, plant and microbial species, it is possible to calculate the relative frequencies of codon usage. Codon usage tables are readily available in the art, for example, at the "Codon Usage Database" available at http://www.kazusa.or.jp/codon/ (visited March 20, 2008), and these tables can be adapted in a number of ways. See Nakamura, Y., et al. Nucl. Acids Res. 28:292 (2000). Codon usage tables for yeast, calculated from GenBank Release 128.0 [15 February 2002], are reproduced below as Table 3. This table uses mRNA nomenclature, and so instead of thymine (T) which is found in DNA, the tables use uracil (U) which is found in RNA. Table 1B has been adapted so that frequencies are calculated for each amino acid, rather than for all 64 codons.

Table 3. Codon Usage Table for Saccharomyces cerevisiae

By utilizing this or similar tables, one of ordinary skill in the art can apply the frequencies to any given polypeptide sequence, and produce a nucleic acid fragment of a codon-optimized coding region which encodes the polypeptide, but which uses codons optimal for a given species.

Randomly assigning codons at an optimized frequency to encode a given polypeptide sequence, can be done manually by calculating codon frequencies for each amino acid, and then assigning the codons to the polypeptide sequence randomly. Additionally, various algorithms and computer software programs are readily available to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the "EditSeq" function in the Lasergene Package, available from DNAstar, Inc., Madison, Wl, the backtranslation function in the VectorNTI Suite, available from InforMax, Inc., Bethesda, MD, and the "backtranslate" function in the GCG-Wisconsin Package, available from Accelrys, Inc., San Diego, CA. Constructing a rudimentary algorithm to assign codons based on a given frequency can also easily be accomplished with basic mathematical functions by one of ordinary skill in the art. Codon-optimized coding regions can be designed by various methods known to those skilled in the art including software packages such as "synthetic gene designer" (userpages.umbc.edu/~wug1/codon/sgd/, visited March 19, 2012_).

As used herein, the term "polypeptide" is intended to encompass a singular "polypeptide" as well as plural "polypeptides," and refers to a molecule composed of monomers (amino acids) linearly linked by amide bonds (also known as peptide bonds). The term "polypeptide" refers to any chain or chains of two or more amino acids, and does not refer to a specific length of the product. Thus, peptides, dipeptides, tripeptides, oligopeptides, "protein, " "amino acid chain," or any other term used to refer to a chain or chains of two or more amino acids, are included within the definition of "polypeptide," and the term "polypeptide" may be used instead of, or interchangeably with any of these terms. A polypeptide may be derived from a natural biological source or produced by recombinant technology, but is not necessarily translated from a designated nucleic acid sequence. It may be generated in any manner, including by chemical synthesis.

By an "isolated" polypeptide or a fragment, variant, or derivative thereof is intended a polypeptide that is not in its natural milieu. No particular level of purification is required. For example, an isolated polypeptide can be removed from its native or natural environment. Recombinantly produced polypeptides and proteins expressed in host cells are considered isolated for purposed of the invention, as are native or recombinant polypeptides which have been separated, fractionated, or partially or substantially purified by any suitable technique. A "substantial portion" of an amino acid or nucleotide sequence is that portion comprising enough of the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide or the nucleotide sequence of a gene to putatively identify that polypeptide or gene, either by manual evaluation of the sequence by one skilled in the art, or by computer-automated sequence comparison and identification using algorithms such as Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) (Altschul, S. F„ et al., J. Mol. Biol., 215:403-410 (1993)). In general, a sequence of ten or more contiguous amino acids or thirty or more nucleotides is necessary in order to putatively identify a polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence as homologous to a known protein or gene. Moreover, with respect to nucleotide sequences, gene specific oligonucleotide probes comprising 20-30 contiguous nucleotides may be used in sequence-dependent methods of gene identification (e.g., Southern hybridization) and isolation (e.g., in situ hybridization of bacterial colonies or bacteriophage plaques). In addition, short oligonucleotides of 12-15 bases may be used as amplification primers in PCR in order to obtain a particular nucleic acid fragment comprising the primers. Accordingly, a "substantial portion" of a nucleotide sequence comprises enough of the sequence to specifically identify and/or isolate a nucleic acid fragment comprising the sequence. The instant specification teaches the complete amino acid and nucleotide sequence encoding particular proteins. The skilled artisan, having the benefit of the sequences as reported herein, may now use all or a substantial portion of the disclosed sequences for purposes known to those skilled in this art. Accordingly, the instant invention comprises the complete sequences as reported in the accompanying Sequence Listing, as well as substantial portions of those sequences as defined above.

The term "percent identity", as known in the art, is a relationship between two or more polypeptide sequences or two or more polynucleotide sequences, as determined by comparing the sequences. In the art, "identity" also means the degree of sequence relatedness between polypeptide or polynucleotide sequences, as the case may be, as determined by the match between strings of such sequences. "Identity" and "similarity" can be readily calculated by known methods, including but not limited to those described in: 1.) Computational Molecular Biology (Lesk, A. M., Ed.) Oxford University: NY (1988); 2.) Biocomputina: Informatics and Genome Projects (Smith, D. W., Ed.) Academic: NY (1993); 3.) Computer Analysis of Sequence Data. Part I (Griffin, A. M., and Griffin, H. G., Eds.) Humania: NJ (1994); 4.) Sequence Analysis in Molecular Biology (von Heinje, G., Ed.) Academic (1987); and 5.) Sequence Analysis Primer (Gribskov, M. and Devereux, J., Eds.) Stockton: NY (1991).

Preferred methods to determine identity are designed to give the best match between the sequences tested. Methods to determine identity and similarity are codified in publicly available computer programs. Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations may be performed using the MegAlign™ program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wl). Multiple alignments of the sequences is performed using the "Clustal method of alignment" which encompasses several varieties of the algorithm including the "Clustal V method of alignment" corresponding to the alignment method labeled Clustal V (described by Higgins and Sharp, CABIOS. 5:151-153 (1989); Higgins, D.G. et al., Comput. Appl. Biosci., 8:189-191 (1992)) and found in the MegAlign™ program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc.). For multiple alignments, the default values correspond to GAP PENALTY=10 and GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10. Default parameters for pairwise alignments and calculation of percent identity of protein sequences using the Clustal method are KTUPLE=1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. For nucleic acids these parameters are KTUPLE=2, GAP PENALTY=5, WINDOW=4 and DIAGONALS SAVED=4. After alignment of the sequences using the Clustal V program, it is possible to obtain a "percent identity" by viewing the "sequence distances" table in the same program. Additionally the "Clustal W method of alignment" is available and corresponds to the alignment method labeled Clustal W (described by Higgins and Sharp, CABIOS. 5:151-153 (1989); Higgins, D.G. et al., Comput. Appl. Biosci. 8:189-191(1992)) and found in the MegAlign™ v6.1 program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc.). Default parameters for multiple alignment (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=0.2, Delay Divergen Seqs(%)=30, DNA Transition Weight=0.5, Protein Weight Matrix=Gonnet Series, DNA Weight Matrix=IUB ). After alignment of the sequences using the Clustal W program, it is possible to obtain a "percent identity" by viewing the "sequence distances" table in the same program.

It is well understood by one skilled in the art that many levels of sequence identity are useful in identifying polypeptides, such as from other species, wherein such polypeptides have the same or similar function or activity, or in describing the corresponding polynucleotides. Useful examples of percent identities include, but are not limited to: 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95%, or any integer percentage from 55% to 100% may be useful in describing the present invention, such as 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99%. Suitable polynucleotide fragments not only have the above homologies but typically comprise a polynucleotide having at least 50 nucleotides, at least 100 nucleotides, at least 150 nucleotides, at least 200 nucleotides, or at least 250 nucleotides. Further, suitable polynucleotide fragments having the above homologies encode a polypeptide having at least 50 amino acids, at least 100 amino acids, at least 150 amino acids, at least 200 amino acids, or at least 250 amino acids.

The term "sequence analysis software" refers to any computer algorithm or software program that is useful for the analysis of nucleotide or amino acid sequences. "Sequence analysis software" may be commercially available or independently developed. Typical sequence analysis software will include, but is not limited to: 1.) the GCG suite of programs (Wisconsin Package Version 9.0, Genetics Computer Group (GCG), Madison, Wl); 2.) BLASTP, BLASTN, BLASTX (Altschul et at., J. Mol. Biol., 215:403-410 (1990)); 3.) DNASTAR (DNASTAR, Inc. Madison, Wl); 4.) Sequencher (Gene Codes Corporation, Ann Arbor, Ml); and 5.) the FASTA program incorporating the Smith-Waterman algorithm (W. R. Pearson, Comput. Methods Genome Res., [Proc. Int. Symp.] (1994), Meeting Date 1992, 111-20. Editor(s): Suhai, Sandor. Plenum: New York, NY). Within the context of this application it will be understood that where sequence analysis software is used for analysis, that the results of the analysis will be based on the "default values" of the program referenced, unless otherwise specified. As used herein "default values" will mean any set of values or parameters that originally load with the software when first initialized.

Standard recombinant DNA and molecular cloning techniques used here are well known in the art and are described by Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. F. and Maniatis, T., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY (1989) (hereinafter "Maniatis"); and by Silhavy, T. J., Bennan, M. L. and Enquist, L. W., Experiments with Gene Fusions, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY (1984); and by Ausubel, F. M. et a!., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, published by Greene Publishing Assoc, and Wiley-lnterscience (1987). Additional methods used here are in Methods in Enzymology, Volume 194, Guide to Yeast Genetics and Molecular and Cell Biology (Part A, 2004, Christine Guthrie and Gerald R. Fink (Eds.), Elsevier Academic Press, San Diego, CA). Other molecular tools and techniques are known in the art and include splicing by overlapping extension polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Yu, et al. (2004) Fungal Genet. Biol. 41:973-981), positive selection for mutations at the URA3 locus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Boeke, J.D. et al. (1984) Mol. Gen. Genet. 197, 345-346; M A Romanos, et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 1991 January 11; 19(1): 187), the cre-lox site-specific recombination system as well as mutant lox sites and FLP substrate mutations (Sauer, B. (1987) Mol Cell Biol 7: 2087-2096; Senecoff, et al. (1988) Journal of Molecular Biology, Volume 201, Issue 2, Pages 405-421; Albert, et al. (1995) The Plant Journal. Volume 7, Issue 4, pages 649-659), “seamless” gene deletion (Akada, et al. (2006) Yeast;23(5):399-405), and gap repair methodology (Ma etal., Genetics 58:201-216; 1981).

As disclosed herein, Applicants have discovered polypeptides not previously annotated as α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylases polypeptides capable of catalyzing the substrate to product conversion of a-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde. Polynucleotides encoding the putative decarboxylases were synthesized, expressed in E. coli, and tested for α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity. As shown in the examples, certain polypeptides were employed in recombinant host cells comprising an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway. KIVD polypeptides

Members of the protein family of ketoisovalerate decarboxylase (KIVD) were identified through National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI; http://www.ncbi.nim.nih.qov/, visited July 27, 2012) BLAST searches of NCBI non-redundant (nr) protein database using amino acid sequences of L. lactis KivD (alpha-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase) (SEQ ID NO: 68), L. lactis KDCA (branched-chain keto acid decarboxylase) (SEQ ID NO: 66), Enterobacter cloacae IPDC (Indole-pyruvate decarboxylase) (SEQ ID NO: 257) with the following search parameters: E value = 10, word size = 3, Matrix = Blosum62, and Gap opening =11 and gap extension =1, E value cutoff of 10'3. The three blast result sets were combined and sequences that are identical or whose lengths are greater than 712 or less than 583 were removed. This combined sequence set was then reduced to a set where the maximum identity between sequences is 65% (“nr65 set”) using the program CD-Hit (downloaded January, 2007; available at weizhong-lab.ucsd.edu/cd-hit/, visited July 25, 2012). The resulted in a set of 1184 KIVD sequences.

The 1184 sequences were aligned using ClustalW using all default parameters. A phylogenetic tree was then constructed from the multiple sequence alignment with neighbor-joining program using ClustalW. The phylogenetic tree was visualized using program iTOL fitol.embi.de/. visited July 27, 2012). A subtree of 180 sequences was selected which spanned over L. Lactis KivD, E. cloacae IPDC, S. cerevisiae PDC (pyruvate decarboxylase) and Zymomonas PDC and their close homologs. This subset was then expanded to include all cluster members in the nr65 set of these 180 sequences. The final set consisted of 601 sequences and was used to construct the sequence similarity network as described below.

The sequence similarity network consisted of a collection of edges corresponding to pairwise relationships that are better than a defined threshold (Atkinson HJ et al. PLoS One. 2009, 4:e4345). For the analysis here, pairwise relationships correspond to BLAST alignments associated with an E-value. The set of 601 sequences were used to create a custom BLAST database using ‘formatdb’ (NCBI; www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/docs/formatdb.htmI; visited July 26, 2012). Then each sequence in the set was searched against this database using BLAST. Since BLAST E-values are not symmetric, the best E-value was kept and associated with each pairwise comparison.

All pairwise alignments that were better than E-value threshold of E-130 were loaded into program Cytoscape (www.cvtoscape.ora: visited July 27, 2012), and a graph was generated using the Organic layout algorithm. Upon visualization, these 601 sequences fell into discernable clusters. One cluster containing 170 sequences was identified to contain L. lactis KivD, L. lactis KDCA, and E. cloacae IPDC. Since L. lactis KivD and L. lactis KDCA are known α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylases, several candidates from this cluster were selected for the diversity selection. Certain sequences from this cluster were experimentally verified as shown herein to have α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity (See Examples 3 and 5).

Because the cluster was verified to contain polypeptides with □-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity, a profile HMM for the KIVD cluster was generated from the set of 170 sequences described above and provided in Table 4. The % identity, as determined from the multiple sequence alignment by ClustalW, of the cluster sequences to sequences verified experimentally to have □- etoisovalerate decarboxylase activity is provided in Table 4. One of skill in the art will appreciate that polypeptides provided in Table 4 are candidate polypeptides for embodiments provided herein and can readily make and test the polypeptides for D-ketoacid decarboxylase activity. Accordingly source organisms provided in Table 4 may be source organisms for polypeptides suitable for embodiments provided herein. Thus, provided herein are methods for converting a-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde comprising providing a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61,63, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, or 416 (or a polypeptide having at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 98% identity thereto or an active fragment thereof) and contacting said polypeptide with α-ketoisovalerate under conditions wherein isobutyraldehyde is produced. In some embodiments, said contacting occurs within a recombinant host cell. In some embodiments, said host cell comprises an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway. In some embodiments, recombinant host cells comprise a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of Table 4, or a polypeptide having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 98% identity thereto, or an active fragment thereof. Provided herein are methods for producing isobutanol comprising providing a recombinant host cell comprising a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61, 63, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, or 416 (or a polypeptide having at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 98% identity thereto or an active fragment thereof) and contacting said polypeptide with α-ketoisovalerate under conditions wherein isobutyraldehyde is produced.

Table 4: Percent Identity of KIVD cluster sequences

Preparation of Profile HMM

The amino acid sequences of the 170 sequences described above and provided in Table Z were analyzed using the HMMER software package (The theory behind profile HMMs is described in R. Durbin, S. Eddy, A. Krogh, and G. Mitchison, Biological sequence analysis: probabilistic models of proteins and nucleic acids. Cambridge University Press, 1998; Krogh et al., 1994; J. Mol. Biol. 235:1501-1531), following the user guide which is available from HMMER (Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA). The output of the HMMER software program is a profile Hidden Markov Model (profile HMM) that characterizes the input sequences. As stated in the user guide, profile HMMs are statistical descriptions of the consensus of a multiple sequence alignment. They use position-specific scores for amino acids (or nucleotides) and position specific scores for opening and extending an insertion or deletion. Compared to other profile based methods, HMMs have a formal probabilistic basis. Profile HMMs for a large number of protein families are publicly available in the PFAM database (Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA).

The profile HMM was built as follows:

Step 1. Build a sequence alignment

The 170 sequences in the cluster as described above were aligned using Clustal W (Thompson, J. D., Higgins, D. G., and Gibson T. J. (1994) Nuc. Acid Res. 22: 4673 4680) with default parameters.

Step 2. Build a Profile HMM

The hmmbuild program was run on the set of aligned sequences using default parameters. hmmbuild reads the multiple sequence alignment file, builds a new profile HMM, and saves the profile HMM to file. Using this program an un-calibrated profile was generated from the multiple sequence alignment of the 170 sequences as described in Step 1.

The following information based on the HMMER software user guide gives some description of the way that the hmmbuild program prepares a profile HMM. A profile HMM is a linear state machine consisting of a series of nodes, each of which corresponds roughly to a position (column) in the multiple sequence alignment from which it is built. If gaps are ignored, the correspondence is exact, i.e., the profile HMM has a node for each column in the alignment, and each node can exist in one state, a match state. The word "match" here implies that there is a position in the model for every position in the sequence to be aligned to the model. Gaps are modeled using insertion (I) states and deletion (D) states. All columns that contain more than a certain fraction x of gap characters will be assigned as an insert column. By default, x is set to 0.5. Each match state has an I and a D state associated with it. HMMER calls a group of three states (M/D/l) at the same consensus position in the alignment a “node”. A profile HMM has several types of probabilities associated with it. One type is the transition probability - the probability of transitioning from one state to another. There are also emissions probabilities associated with each match state, based on the probability of a given residue existing at that position in the alignment. For example, for a fairly well-conserved column in an alignment, the emissions probability for the most common amino acid may be 0.81, while for each of the other 19 amino acids it may be 0.01. A profile HMM is completely described in a HMMER2 profile save file, which contains all the probabilities that are used to parameterize the HMM. The emission probabilities of a match state or an insert state are stored as log-odds ratio relative to a null model: log2 (p_x) / (null_x). Where p_x is the probability of an amino acid residue, at a particular position in the alignment, according to the profile HMM and null_x is the probability according to the Null model. The Null model is a simple one state probabilistic model with pre-calculated set of emission probabilities for each of the 20 amino acids derived from the distribution of amino acids in the SWISSPROT release 24. State transition scores are also stored as log odds parameters and are proportional to log2(t_x). Where t_x is the transition probability of transiting from one state to another state.

Step 3. Calibrate the profile HMM

The profile HMM was read using hmmcalibrate which scores a large number of synthesized random sequences with the profile (the default number of synthetic sequences used is 5,000), fits an extreme value distribution (EVD) to the histogram of those scores, and re-saves the HMM file now including the EVD parameters. These EVD parameters (μ and λ) are used to calculate the E-values of bit scores when the profile is searched against a protein sequence database, hmmcalibrate writes two parameters into the HMM file on a line labeled “EVD”: these parameters are the μ (location) and λΠ(scale) parameters of an extreme value distribution (EVD) that best fits a histogram of scores calculated on randomly generated sequences of about the same length and residue composition as SWISS-PROT. This calibration was done once for the profile HMM.

The calibrated profile HMM for the set of KIVD sequences is provided in Table Z and is herein referred to as the KIVD cluster profile HMM. In the main model section starting from the HMM flag line, the model has three lines per node, for M nodes (where M is the number of match states, as given by the LENG line). The first line reports the match emission log-odds scores: the log-odds ratio of emitting each amino acid from that state and from the Null model. The first number if the node number (1..M). The next K numbers for match emission scores, one per amino acid. The highest scoring amino acid is indicated in the parenthesis after the node number. These log-odds scores can be converted back to HMM probabilities using the null model probability. The last number on the line represents the alignment column index for this match state. The second line reports the insert emission scores, and the third line reports on state transition scores: M-»M, M-H M->D; l->M, l->l; D->M, D->D; B->M; M^E.

Step 4. Test the specificity and sensitivity of the built Profile HMMs

The Profile HMM was evaluated using hmmsearch, which reads a Profile HMM from hmmfile and searches a sequence file for significantly similar sequence matches. The sequence file searched contained 601 sequences (see above). During the search, the size of the database (Z parameter) was set to 1 billion. This size setting ensures that significant E-values against the current database will remain significant in the foreseeable future. The E-value cutoff was set at 10. A hmmer search with the KIVD cluster profile HMM (Table Z, incorporated herein by reference) generated from the alignment of the 170 KIVD homologs, matched all 601 sequences with an E value <1E-223. This result indicates that members of the KIVD cluster share significant sequence similarity. A hmmer search with a cutoff of E value E-223 was used to separate KlVDs from other proteins. Thus, it is believed that polypeptides having a KIVD cluster profile HMM E value <1 E-223 using hmmer search are suitable candidates for embodiments provided herein, such as for methods and recombinant host cells comprising the substrate to product conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde.

It will be appreciated that, equipped with this disclosure and using a combination of structural and sequence information available in the art and provided herein, polypeptides comprising ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity and less than 100% identity to the exemplified sequences in Tables 4, 5 and 6 may be constructed for use in host cells and methods provided herein. For example, because Applicants have demonstrated that the polypeptides provided herein have ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity, one of skill in the art may utilize biochemical, molecular, and structural information provided herein by way of sequence information and Profile HMM as well as information available in the art regarding ketoisovalerate decarboxylases. For example, Berthold, et al., provide the structure of holo-KdcA from L. lactis (Acta Crys. (2007) D63: 1217-1224); Yep, et al. (Bioorganic Chemistry, 34 (2006) 325-336) developed a homology model of the structure for KdcA from L. lactis, identifying residues Ser286, Phe381, Val461, and Met358 as residues that appeared to shape the substrate binding pocket; Smit, et al. (Appl. Environ. Microbiol. (2005) 71:303-311) aligned the amino acid sequence of KdcA with two decarboxylating enzymes, indolepyruvate decarboxylase of

Enterobacter cloacae, and yeast pyruvate decarboxylase, which have been studied by X-ray crystallography.

One of ordinary skill in the art, equipped with this disclosure, can also generate active fragments of polypeptides provided herein, for example, by truncating polypeptides provided herein based on sequence alignments at the N-terminus or C-terminus and confirming a-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity.

Accordingly, polypeptides capable of catalyzing the substrate to product conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde disclosed herein include, but are not limited to, polypeptides comprising at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or at least about 99% identity to any one of SEQ ID NO: 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61, or 63 or an active fragment thereof. In embodiments, the polypeptide has a KIVD cluster profile HMM E value of less than 1E-223 using the hmmsearch program. Similarly, Applicants provide herein polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides which include, but are not limited to polynucleotides comprising at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or at least about 99% identity to any one of SEQ ID NO: 30, 31,32, 34, 35, 37, 38, 40, or 42, or sequences thereof which are codon-optimized for expression in a particular host cell such as, for example, E. coli or S. cerevisiae.

Thiamine diphosphate (also known as thiamine pyrophosphate or “TPP” or “TDP”) is a coenzyme employed by KIVD as a cofactor. Thiamine is the vitamin form, which may be supplemented in reaction medium such as fermentation medium. Once transported into a cell, thiamine will be converted to thiamine diphosphate. In addition, certain polypeptides having ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity disclosed herein have increased affinity for TPP as compared to the Lactococcus lactis polypeptide having SEQ ID NO: 68, and, as such, may provide advantages. For example, polypeptides provided herein may be useful to catalyze the substrate to product conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde under conditions of low or diminished thiamine, potentially reducing costs and protocol complexity. In embodiments, such polypeptides comprise at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or at least about 99% identity to any one of SEQ ID NO: 51,52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61, or 63 or an active fragment thereof. In some embodiments, such polypeptides comprise the sequences of kivD81, Mca, or kdcA from Listeria grayi, Macrococcus caseolyticus, or Lactococcus lactis, repectively, or an active fragment thereof. In some embodiments, such polypeptides comprise at least about 80% identity to SEQ ID NO: 52, 61, or 66 or an active fragment thereof. In some embodiments, such polypeptides comprise at least about 80% identity to SEQ ID NO: 52 or 61 or an active fragment thereof.

Polypeptides and the polynucleotides encoding them provided herein are also useful for expression in recombinant host cells, such as recombinant host cells comprising an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway which includes the substrate to product conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde. Furthermore, Applicants have shown that polypeptides provided herein are at least as capable of converting α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde as a Lactococcus lactis polypeptide sequence having SEQ ID NO: 68 in a recombinant host cell, as measured by a-ketoisovalerate accumulation during a fermentation (See Example 12). Similarly, polypeptides provided herein can provide increased isobutanol yield in recombinant host cells as compared to the isobutanol yield observed in cells employing a Lactococcus lactis polypeptide sequence having SEQ ID NO: 68 (See Example 12). Therefore, provided herein are recombinant host cells comprising polypeptides comprising at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or at least about 99% identity to any one of SEQ ID NO: 51,52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61, or 63 or an active fragment thereof, or a polynucleotide encoding such a polypeptide.

Construction of recombinant host cells

The genetic manipulations of the host cells described herein can be performed using standard genetic techniques and screening and can be made in any host cell that is suitable to genetic manipulation (Methods in Yeast Genetics, 2005, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring

Harbor, NY, pp. 201-202). In embodiments, the recombinant host cells disclosed herein can be any bacteria, yeast or fungi host useful for genetic modification and recombinant gene expression. In other embodiments, a recombinant host cell can be a member of the genera Clostridium, Zymomonas, Escherichia, Salmonella, Serratia, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Shigella, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Alcaligenes, Klebsiella, Paenibacillus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Schizosaccharomyces, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia, Pichia, Candida, Hansenula, or Saccharomyces. In other embodiments, the host cell can be Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces thermotolerans, Kluyveromyces marxianus,Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, Pichia stipitis, Yarrowia lipolytica, E. coli, or L. plantarum. In still other embodiments, the host cell is a yeast host cell. In some embodiments, the host cell is a member of the genera Saccharomyces. In some embodiments, the host cell is Kluyveromyces lactis, Candida glabrata or Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In some embodiments, the host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S. cerevisiae yeast are known in the art and are available from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, American Type Culture Collection (Rockville, MD), Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS) Fungal Biodiversity Centre, LeSaffre, Gert Strand AB, Ferm Solutions, North American Bioproducts, Martrex, and Lallemand. S. cerevisiae include, but are not limited to, BY4741, CEN.PK 113-7D, Ethanol Red® yeast, Ferm Pro™ yeast, Bio-Ferm® XR yeast, Gert Strand Prestige Batch Turbo alcohol yeast, Gert Strand Pot Distillers yeast, Gert Strand Distillers Turbo yeast, FerMax™ Green yeast, FerMax™ Gold yeast, Thermosacc® yeast, BG-1, PE-2, CAT-1, CBS7959, CBS7960, and CBS7961.

Methods for gene expression in recombinant host cells, including, but not limited to, yeast cells are known in the art (see, for example, Methods in Enzymology, Volume 194, Guide to Yeast Genetics and Molecular and Cell Biology (Part A, 2004, Christine Guthrie and Gerald R. Fink (Eds.), Elsevier Academic Press, San Diego, CA). In embodiments, the coding region for the α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase enzymes to be expressed can be codon optimized for the target host cell, as well known to one skilled in the art. Expression of genes in recombinant host cells, including but not limited to yeast cells, can require a promoter operably linked to a coding region of interest, and a transcriptional terminator. A number of promoters can be used in constructing expression cassettes for genes, including, but not limited to, the following constitutive promoters suitable for use in yeast: FBA1, TDH3 (GPD), ADH1, and GPM1; and the following inducible promoters suitable for use in yeast: GAL1, GAL10 and CUP1. Other yeast promoters include hybrid promoters UAS(PGK1)-FBA1p (SEQ ID NO: 228), UAS(PGK1)-EN02p (SEQ ID NO: 229), UAS(FBA1 )-PDC1 p (SEQ ID NO: 230), UAS(PGK1)-PDC1p (SEQ ID NO: 231), and UAS(PGK)-OLE1p (SEQ ID NO: 232). Suitable transcriptional terminators that can be used in a chimeric gene construct for expression include, but are not limited to, FBA1t, TDFI3t, GPM1t, ERG10t, GAL1t, CYC1t, and ADH1t.

Vectors useful for the transformation of a variety of host cells are common and described in the literature. Typically the vector contains a selectable marker and sequences allowing autonomous replication or chromosomal integration in the desired host. In addition, suitable vectors can comprise a promoter region which harbors transcriptional initiation controls and a transcriptional termination control region, between which a coding region DNA fragment may be inserted, to provide expression of the inserted coding region. Both control regions can be derived from genes homologous to the transformed host cell, although it is to be understood that such control regions can also be derived from genes that are not native to the specific species chosen as a production host.

In embodiments, suitable promoters, transcriptional terminators, and α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase coding regions can be cloned into E co//-yeast shuttle vectors, and transformed into yeast cells. Such vectors allow strain propagation in both E. coli and yeast strains, and can contain a selectable marker and sequences allowing autonomous replication or chromosomal integration in the desired host. Typically used plasmids in yeast include, but are not limited to, shuttle vectors pRS423, pRS424, pRS425, and pRS426 (American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, MD), which contain an E. coli replication origin (e.g., pMB1), a yeast 2-micron origin of replication, and a marker for nutritional selection. The selection markers for these four vectors are HIS3 (vector pRS423), TRP1 (vector pRS424), LEU2 (vector pRS425) and URA3 (vector pRS426).

In embodiments, construction of expression vectors with a chimeric gene encoding the described enzymes can be performed by the gap repair recombination method in yeast. In embodiments, a yeast vector DNA is digested (e.g., in its multiple cloning site) to create a "gap" in its sequence. A number of insert DNAs of interest are generated that contain an approximately 21 bp sequence at both the 5' and the 3' ends that sequentially overlap with each other, and with the 5' and 3' terminus of the vector DNA. For example, to construct a yeast expression vector for "Gene X," a yeast promoter and a yeast terminator are selected for the expression cassette. The promoter and terminator are amplified from the yeast genomic DNA, and Gene X is either PCR amplified from its source organism or obtained from a cloning vector comprising Gene X sequence. There is at least a 21 bp overlapping sequence between the 5' end of the linearized vector and the promoter sequence, between the promoter and Gene X, between Gene X and the terminator sequence, and between the terminator and the 3' end of the linearized vector. The "gapped" vector and the insert DNAs are then co-transformed into a yeast strain and plated on the medium containing the appropriate compound mixtures that allow complementation of the nutritional selection markers on the plasmids. The presence of correct insert combinations can be confirmed by PCR mapping using plasmid DNA prepared from the selected cells. The plasmid DNA isolated from yeast (usually low in concentration) can then be transformed into an E. coli strain, e.g. TOP10, followed by mini preps and restriction mapping to further verify the plasmid construct. Finally the construct can be verified by sequence analysis.

Like the gap repair technique, integration into the yeast genome also takes advantage of the homologous recombination system in yeast.

In embodiments, a cassette containing a coding region plus control elements (promoter and terminator) and auxotrophic marker is PCR-amplified with a high-fidelity DNA polymerase using primers that hybridize to the cassette and contain 40-70 base pairs of sequence homology to the regions 5' and 3' of the genomic area where insertion is desired. The PCR product is then transformed into yeast and plated on medium containing the appropriate compound mixtures that allow selection for the integrated auxotrophic marker. For example, to integrate "Gene X" into chromosomal location "Y", the promoter-coding region X-terminator construct is PCR amplified from a plasmid DNA construct and joined to an autotrophic marker (such as URA3) by either SOE PCR or by common restriction digests and cloning. The full cassette, containing the promotercoding regionX-terminator-L/RA3 region, is PCR amplified with primer sequences that contain 40-70 bp of homology to the regions 5' and 3' of location "Y" on the yeast chromosome. The PCR product is transformed into yeast and selected on growth media lacking uracil. Transformants can be verified either by colony PCR or by direct sequencing of chromosomal DNA. KIVD activity

The presence of α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity in the recombinant host cells disclosed herein can be confirmed using routine methods known in the art. In a non-limiting example, and as described in the Examples herein, transformants can be screened by PCR using primers for α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase genes. In another nonlimiting example, and as described in the examples herein, a-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity can be assayed by expressing a-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase enzymes disclosed herein in a recombinant host cell disclosed herein that lacks endogenous a-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity. In another non-limiting example, a-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity can be confirmed by more indirect methods, such as by measuring the products downstream from isobutyraldehyde in a hinsvnthatir. nathwav In annthar nnn-limitinn pyamnlp r/-kptnisnvalpratp decarboxylase activity can be confirmed by measuring cofactor disappearance, or by measuring cofactor disappearance for a step downstream from isobutyraldehyde in a biosynthetic pathway, for example, a coupled assay as described herein and/or in the art_(see, for example, Zhang et al., PNAS (2008) 105(52): 20653-20658). In another non-limiting example, α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity can be confirmed by determining the rates for the conversion of a-ketoisovalerate to isobutryaldehyde with the aldehyde-specific Purpald® colorimetric enzyme assay, described herein. In another non-limiting example, a-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity can be confirmed by measuring disappearance of α-ketoisovalerate using methods known in the art (see, for example, de la Plaza, et al. FEMS Microbiol Letters (2004) 238:367-374).

The TPP cofactor activation constant, which provides a measure of the enzyme affinity for TPP is described in Chang et al. (Biochem. J. (1999) 339: 255-260). The TPP cofactor activation constant of polypeptides provided herein can be determined by plotting the specific activities observed as a function of TPP concentration. The rates for the conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde may be measured in a horse liver ADH (hADH) coupled enzyme assay, which has been described in Gocke, D. et al. (Adv. Synth. Catal. 2007, 349, 1425 - 1435), run at different TPP concentrations. Specific activities are then plotted against TPP concentration. Resulting curves may then be fit to the saturation equation SA=(SAmax*[TPP])/(Kc+[TPP])-i-C, where SA is the specific activity, SAmax is maximum specific activity, Kc is the cofactor activation constant, [TPP] is the concentration of TPP, and C is the activity in the absence of added TPP, using software such as Kaleidagraph (Synergy) to determine the cofactor activation constant (Kc). The TPP affinity of polypeptides can also be measured via fluorescence quenching as described in Chang et al. (Biochem. J. (1999) 339:255-260).

In embodiments, polypeptides provided herein have a TPP cofactor activation constant (Kc) less than about 5 μΜ, less than about 10 μΜ, less than about 20 μΜ, less than about 30 μΜ, less than about 40 μΜ, less than about 50 μΜ, less than about 70 μΜ, or less than about 90 μΜ.

The substrate specificity ratio provides a measure of the ability of an enzyme to discriminate between the reactions of competing substrates and is described by Fersht, A. (Enzyme Structure and Mechanism, 1977, 1985 W.H. Freeman and Company, New York). The α-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate specificity ratio for a given polypeptide can be determined by measuring the Vmax and Km values for the conversion of a-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde and the Vmax and Km values for the conversion of pyruvate to acetaldehyde. The rates for the conversion of a-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde and for pyruvate to acetaldehyde may be measured in a horse liver ADH (hADH) coupled enzyme assay which has been described in Gocke, D. et al. (Adv. Synth. Catal. 2007, 349, 1425-1435) run at different substrate concentration. Specific activities are then plotted against substrate concentration. Resulting curves may then be fit to the Michaelis-Menton using software such as Kaleidagraph (Synergy) to determine Vmax and Km values for each substrate. “Specificity ratio” as used herein is the quotient of Vmax/KM determined for a-ketoisovalerate divided by the Vmax/KM determined for pyruvate.

In embodiments, the specificity ratio for polypeptides disclosed herein is greater than about 1, greater than about 10, greater than about 20, greater than about 50, greater than about 100, greater than about 150, greater than about 200, greater than about 250, or greater than about 300.

Provided herein are methods of converting α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde employing the polypeptides disclosed. In embodiments, methods comprise: (a) providing a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises at least one of: (i) at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51,52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61 or 63 or an active fragment thereof and α-ketoacid decarboxylase activity; or (ii) a-ketoacid decarboxylase activity, a specificity ratio for α-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate greater than about 1, greater than about 10, greater than about 100, greater than about 150, or greater than about 200, and thiamine diphosphate cofactor activation constant (Kc) of about 100 μΜ, about 50 μΜ, or about 20 μΜ or less; and (b) contacting said polypeptide with a-ketoisovalerate under conditions wherein isobutyraldehyde is produced. In embodiments, methods comprise: (a) providing a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51,52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61 or 63 or an active fragment thereof and α-ketoacid decarboxylase activity; and (b) contacting said polypeptide with α-ketoisovalerate under conditions wherein isobutyraldehyde is produced. In embodiments, said polypeptide comprises at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identity to SEQ ID NO: 52 or 61 or an active fragment thereof. In embodiments, methods comprise: (a) providing a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises α-ketoacid decarboxylase activity, a specificity ratio for α-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate greater than about 1, greater than about 10, greater than about 100, greater than about 150, or greater than about 200, and thiamine diphosphate cofactor activation constant (Kc) of about 100 μΜ, about 50 μΜ, or about 20 μΜ or less; and (b) contacting said polypeptide with α-ketoisovalerate under conditions wherein isobutyraldehyde is produced. In embodiments, the contacting occurs in the presence of less than about 10 mg/L thiamine. In embodiments, the contacting occurs in the presence of less than about 30 mg/L thiamine, less than about 20 mg/L thiamine, or less than about 5 mg/L thiamine. In embodiments, the contacting occurs in the presence of about 1 to about 10 mg/L thiamine, about 5 to about 20 mg/L thiamine, about 10 to about 15 mg/L thiamine, about 5 to about 15 mg/L thiamine, about 5 to about 10 mg/L thiamine, or about 1 to about 5 mg/L thiamine. In embodiments, the contacting occurs within a recombinant host cell and wherein the polypeptide is heterologous to recombinant host cell. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is a member of the genera Clostridium, Zymomonas, Escherichia, Salmonella, Serratia, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Shigella, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Alcaligenes, Klebsiella, Paenibacillus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium,

Brevibacterium, Schizosaccharomyces, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia, Pichia, Candida, Hansenula, or Saccharomyces. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises heterologous polynucleotides encoding polypeptides which catalyze the substrate to product conversions: (a) pyruvate to acetolactate; (b) acetolactate to 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate; and (c) 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to 2-ketoisovalerate. In embodiments, the host cell further comprises a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which catalyzes the substrate to product conversion isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises reduced or eliminated pyruvate decarboxylase activity. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell comprises deletion of fra2. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell comprises reduced or eliminated glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity.

Production of isobutanol

Provided herein are methods of producing isobutanol. In embodiments, the methods comprise: (a) providing a host cell comprising an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway and a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises at least one of: i) at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identity identity to SEQ ID NO: 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61, or 63 or an active fragment thereof and a-ketoacid decarboxylase activity or (ii) α-ketoacid decarboxylase activity, a specificity ratio for α-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate greater than about 1, greater than about 10, greater than about 100, greater than about 150, or greater than about 200, and thiamine diphosphate cofactor activation constant (Kc) of about 100 μΜ, about 50 μΜ, or about 20 μΜ or less; and (b) contacting the host cell with a fermentable carbon substrate under conditions whereby isobutanol is produced. In embodiments, the contacting occurs in the presence of less than about 10 mg/L thiamine or less than about 1 mg/L thiamine. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is a member of the genera Clostridium, Zymomonas, Escherichia, Salmonella, Serratia, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Shigella, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Alcaligenes, Klebsiella, Paenibacillus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Schizosaccharomyces, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia, Pichia, Candida, Hansenula, or Saccharomyces. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises heterologous polynucleotides encoding polypeptides which catalyze the substrate to product conversions: (a) pyruvate to acetolactate; (b) acetolactate to 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate; and (c) 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to 2-ketoisovalerate. In embodiments, the host cell further comprises a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which catalyzes the substrate to product conversion isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises reduced or eliminated pyruvate decarboxylase activity. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises deletion of fra2. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell comprises reduced or eliminated glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. In embodiments isobutanol is produced at an effective yield greater than that produced by the analogous host cell comprising a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 68 and not (i) or (ii).

Accordingly, also provided herein are recombinant host cells comprising (i) a heterologous polypeptide which catalyzes the substrate to product conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde wherein said polypeptide comprises at least about 80% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61 or 63 or an active fragment thereof; or a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a heterologous polypeptide of (i) .

In embodiments, said polypeptide comprises at least about 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61 or 63 or an active fragment thereof. In embodiments, host cells further comprise heterologous polynucleotides encoding polypeptides which catalyze the substrate to product conversions: (a) pyruvate to acetolactate; (b) acetolactate to 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate; (c) 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to 2-ketoisovalerate. In embodiments, host cells further comprising a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which catalyzes the substrate to product conversion isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol. In embodiments, each of the polypeptides which catalyze the substrate to product conversions are nonnative to the host cell. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell comprises reduced or eliminated pyruvate decarboxylase activity. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell comprises at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is a member of the genera Clostridium, Zymomonas, Escherichia, Salmonella, Serratia, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Shigella, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Alcaligenes, Klebsiella, Paenibacillus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Schizosaccharomyces, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia, Pichia, Candida, Hansenula, or Saccharomyces. In embodiments, the recombinant host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Isobutanol Biosynthetic Pathway

Biosynthetic pathways for the production of isobutanol that may be used include those described in U.S. Patents 7,851,188, 7,889,993, and 8,178,328, all incorporated herein by reference. One isobutanol biosynthetic pathway comprises the following substrate to product conversions: -pyruvate to acetolactate, which may be catalyzed, for example, by acetolactate synthase; -acetolactate to 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate, which may be catalyzed, for example, by acetohydroxy acid reductoisomerase; -2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to α-ketoisovalerate, which may be catalyzed, for example, by acetohydroxy acid dehydratase; -α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde, which may be catalyzed, for example, by a branched-chain keto acid decarboxylase; and -isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol, which may be catalyzed, for example, by a branched-chain alcohol dehydrogenase.

In some embodiments, the isobutanol biosynthetic pathway comprises at least one polynucleotide, at least two polynucleotides, at least three polynucleotides, or at least four polynucleotides that is/are heterologous to the host cell. In embodiments, each substrate to product conversion of an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway in a recombinant host cell is catalyzed by a heterologous polypeptide. In embodiments, the polypeptide catalyzing the substrate to product conversions of acetolactate to 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate and/or the polypeptide catalyzing the substrate to product conversion of isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol are capable of utilizing NADH as a cofactor.

Genes and polypeptides that can be used for substrate to product conversions described herein as well as methods of identifying such genes and polypeptides, are described herein and/or in the art, for example, for isobutanol, in the Examples and in U.S. Patent No. U.S. Patents 7,851,188, 7,889,993, and 8,178,328. Example ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI) enzymes are described in U.S. Patents 8,129,162 and 8,222,017 and in U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. Nos. 20080261230 A1, 20100197519 A1, and PCT Appl. Pub. No. WO/2011/041415, all of which are incorporated by reference. Examples of KARIs disclosed therein are those from Lactococcus lactis, Vibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01, and Pseudomonas fluorescens PF5 variants. KARIs include Anaerostipes caccae KARI variants “K9G9” and “K9D3” (SEQ ID NOs: 235 and 234, respectively). US Appl. Pub. No. 20100081154 A1, and U.S. Patent 7,851,188 describe dihydroxyacid dehydratases (DHADs), including a DHAD from Streptococcus mutans (protein SEQ ID NO: 417). U.S. Patent 8,188,250, incorporated herein by reference, describes SadB, an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Alcohol dehydrogenases also include horse liver ADH (“HADH”) and Beijerinkia indica ADH (protein SEQ ID NO: 247) described in US Appl. Pub. No. 20110269199, incorporated herein by reference.

It will be appreciated that host cells comprising an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway as provided herein may further comprise one or more additional modifications. U.S. Appl. Pub. No. 20090305363 (incorporated by reference) discloses increased conversion of pyruvate to acetolactate by engineering yeast for expression of a cytosol-localized acetolactate synthase and substantial elimination of pyruvate decarboxylase activity. Modifications to reduce glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and/or disruption in at least one gene encoding a polypeptide having pyruvate decarboxylase activity or a disruption in at least one gene encoding a regulatory element controlling pyruvate decarboxylase gene expression as described in U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 20090305363 (incorporated herein by reference), modifications to a host cell that provide for increased carbon flux through an Entner-Doudoroff Pathway or reducing equivalents balance as described in U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 20100120105 (incorporated herein by reference). Other modifications include integration of at least one polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide that catalyzes a step in a pyruvate-utilizing biosynthetic pathway. Other modifications include at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having acetolactate reductase activity. In embodiments, the polypeptide having acetolactate reductase activity is YMR226C (SEQ ID NO: 236) of Saccharomyces cerevisae or a homolog thereof. Additional modifications include a deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having aldehyde dehydrogenase and/or aldehyde oxidase activity. In embodiments, the polypeptide having aldehyde dehydrogenase activity is ALD6 (SEQ ID NO: 233) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae or a homolog thereof. A genetic modification which has the effect of reducing glucose repression wherein the yeast production host cell is pdc- is described in U.S. Appl. Publication No. 20110124060, incorporated herein by reference.

Recombinant host cells may further comprise (a) at least one heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having dihydroxy-acid dehydratase activity; and (b)(i) at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis; and/or (ii) at least one heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis. In embodiments, the polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis is encoded by AFT7(nucleic acid SEQ ID NO: 237, amino acid SEQ ID NO: 238), AFT2 (SEQ ID NOs: 239 and 240), FRA2 (SEQ ID NOs: 241 and 242), GFIX3{SEQ ID NOs: 243 and 244), or CCC7(SEQ ID NOs: 245 and 246). In embodiments, the polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis is constitutive mutant AFT1 L99A, AFT1 L102A, AFT1 C291F, or AFT1 C293F.

Growth for Production

Recombinant host cells disclosed herein are grown in fermentation media which contains suitable carbon substrates. Additional carbon substrates may include, but are not limited to, monosaccharides such as fructose, oligosaccharides such as lactose, maltose, galactose, or sucrose, polysaccharides such as starch or cellulose or mixtures thereof and unpurified mixtures from renewable feedstocks such as cheese whey permeate, cornsteep liquor, sugar beet molasses, and barley malt. Other carbon substrates may include ethanol, lactate, succinate, or glycerol.

Additionally the carbon substrate may also be one-carbon substrates such as carbon dioxide, or methanol for which metabolic conversion into key biochemical intermediates has been demonstrated. In addition to one and two carbon substrates, methylotrophic organisms are also known to utilize a number of other carbon containing compounds such as methylamine, glucosamine and a variety of amino acids for metabolic activity. For example, methylotrophic yeasts are known to utilize the carbon from methylamine to form trehalose or glycerol (Bellion et al., Microb. Growth C1 Compd., [Int. Symp.], 7th (1993), 415-32, Editor(s): Murrell, J. Collin; Kelly, Don P. Publisher: Intercept, Andover, UK). Similarly, various species of Candida will metabolize alanine or oleic acid (Suiter et al., Arch. Microbiol. 153:485-489 (1990)). Hence it is contemplated that the source of carbon utilized in the present invention may encompass a wide variety of carbon containing substrates and will only be limited by the choice of organism.

Although it is contemplated that all of the above mentioned carbon substrates and mixtures thereof are suitable in the present invention, in some embodiments, the carbon substrates are glucose, fructose, and sucrose, or mixtures of these with C5 sugars such as xylose and/or arabinose for yeasts cells modified to use C5 sugars. Sucrose may be derived from renewable sugar sources such as sugar cane, sugar beets, cassava, sweet sorghum, and mixtures thereof. Glucose and dextrose may be derived from renewable grain sources through saccharification of starch based feedstocks including grains such as corn, wheat, rye, barley, oats, and mixtures thereof. In addition, fermentable sugars may be derived from renewable cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass through processes of pretreatment and saccharification, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20070031918 A1. Biomass refers to any cellulosic or lignocellulosic material and includes materials comprising cellulose, and optionally further comprising hemicellulose, lignin, starch, oligosaccharides and/or monosaccharides. Biomass may also comprise additional components, such as protein and/or lipid. Biomass may be derived from a single source, or biomass can comprise a mixture derived from more than one source; for example, biomass may comprise a mixture of corn cobs and corn stover, or a mixture of grass and leaves. Biomass includes, but is not limited to, bioenergy crops, agricultural residues, municipal solid waste, industrial solid waste, sludge from paper manufacture, yard waste, wood and forestry waste. Examples of biomass include, but are not limited to, corn grain, corn cobs, crop residues such as corn husks, corn stover, grasses, wheat, wheat straw, rapeseed, barley, barley straw, hay, rice straw, switchgrass, waste paper, sugar cane bagasse, sorghum, soy, components obtained from milling of grains, trees, branches, roots, leaves, wood chips, sawdust, shrubs and bushes, vegetables, fruits, flowers (e.g., sunflowers and safflower), animal manure, and mixtures thereof.

In addition to an appropriate carbon source, fermentation media must contain suitable minerals, salts, cofactors, buffers and other components, known to those skilled in the art, suitable for the growth of the cultures and promotion of an enzymatic pathway described herein.

Culture Conditions

Typically cells are grown at a temperature in the range of about 20 °C to about 40 °C in an appropriate medium. Suitable growth media in the present invention include common commercially prepared media such as Luria Bertani (LB) broth, Sabouraud Dextrose (SD) broth, Yeast Medium (YM) broth, or broth that includes yeast nitrogen base, ammonium sulfate, and dextrose (as the carbon/energy source) or YPD Medium, a blend of peptone, yeast extract, and dextrose in optimal proportions for growing most Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Other defined or synthetic growth media may also be used, and the appropriate medium for growth of the particular microorganism will be known by one skilled in the art of microbiology or fermentation science. The use of agents known to modulate catabolite repression directly or indirectly, e.g., cyclic adenosine 2':3'-monophosphate, may also be incorporated into the fermentation medium.

Suitable pH ranges for the fermentation are between about pH 5.0 to about pH 9.0. In one embodiment, about pH 6.0 to about pH 8.0 is used for the initial condition. Suitable pH ranges for the fermentation of yeast are typically between about pH 3.0 to about pH 9.0. In one embodiment, about pH 5.0 to about pH 8.0 is used for the initial condition. Suitable pH ranges for the fermentation of other microorganisms are between about pH 3.0 to about pH 7.5. In one embodiment, about pH 4.5 to about pH 6.5 is used for the initial condition.

Fermentations may be performed under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In one embodiment, anaerobic or microaerobic conditions are used for fermentations.

Industrial Batch and Continuous Fermentations

Isobutanol, or other products, may be produced using a batch method of fermentation. A classical batch fermentation is a closed system where the composition of the medium is set at the beginning of the fermentation and not subject to artificial alterations during the fermentation. A variation on the standard batch system is the fed-batch system. Fed-batch fermentation processes are also suitable in the present invention and comprise a typical batch system with the exception that the substrate is added in increments as the fermentation progresses. Fed-batch systems are useful when catabolite repression is apt to inhibit the metabolism of the cells and where it is desirable to have limited amounts of substrate in the media. Batch and fed-batch fermentations are common and well known in the art and examples may be found in Thomas D. Brock in Biotechnology: A Textbook of Industrial Microbiology, Second Edition (1989) Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA., or Deshpande, Mukund V., Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol., 36:227, (1992).

Isobutanol, or other products, may also be produced using continuous fermentation methods. Continuous fermentation is an open system where a defined fermentation medium is added continuously to a bioreactor and an equal amount of conditioned media is removed simultaneously for processing. Continuous fermentation generally maintains the cultures at a constant high density where cells are primarily in log phase growth. Continuous fermentation allows for the modulation of one factor or any number of factors that affect cell growth or end product concentration. Methods of modulating nutrients and growth factors for continuous fermentation processes as well as techniques for maximizing the rate of product formation are well known in the art of industrial microbiology and a variety of methods are detailed by Brock, supra.

It is contemplated that the production of isobutanol, or other products, may be practiced using batch, fed-batch or continuous processes and that any known mode of fermentation would be suitable. Additionally, it is contemplated that cells may be immobilized on a substrate as whole cell catalysts and subjected to fermentation conditions for isobutanol production.

Methods for Isobutanol Isolation from the Fermentation Medium

Bioproduced isobutanol may be isolated from the fermentation medium using methods known in the art for ABE fermentations (see, e.g., Durre, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 49:639-648 (1998), Groot et al., Process. Biochem. 27:61-75 (1992), and references therein). For example, solids may be removed from the fermentation medium by centrifugation, filtration, decantation, or the like. Then, the isobutanol may be isolated from the fermentation medium using methods such as distillation, azeotropic distillation, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, gas stripping, membrane evaporation, or pervaporation.

Because isobutanol forms a low boiling point, azeotropic mixture with water, distillation can be used to separate the mixture up to its azeotropic composition. Distillation may be used in combination with another separation method to obtain separation around the azeotrope. Methods that may be used in combination with distillation to isolate and purify butanol include, but are not limited to, decantation, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, and membrane-based techniques. Additionally, butanol may be isolated using azeotropic distillation using an entrainer (see, e.g., Doherty and Malone, Conceptual Design of Distillation Systems, McGraw Hill, New York, 2001).

The butanol-water mixture forms a heterogeneous azeotrope so that distillation may be used in combination with decantation to isolate and purify the isobutanol. In this method, the isobutanol containing fermentation broth is distilled to near the azeotropic composition. Then, the azeotropic mixture is condensed, and the isobutanol is separated from the fermentation medium by decantation. The decanted aqueous phase may be returned to the first distillation column as reflux. The isobutanol-rich decanted organic phase may be further purified by distillation in a second distillation column.

The isobutanol can also be isolated from the fermentation medium using liquid-liquid extraction in combination with distillation. In this method, the isobutanol is extracted from the fermentation broth using liquid-liquid extraction with a suitable solvent. The isobutanol-containing organic phase is then distilled to separate the butanol from the solvent.

Distillation in combination with adsorption can also be used to isolate isobutanol from the fermentation medium. In this method, the fermentation broth containing the isobutanol is distilled to near the azeotropic composition and then the remaining water is removed by use of an adsorbent, such as molecular sieves (Aden et at., Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol Process Design and Economics Utilizing Co-Current Dilute Acid Prehydrolysis and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Corn Stover, Report NREL/TP-510-32438, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, June 2002).

Additionally, distillation in combination with pervaporation may be used to isolate and purify the isobutanol from the fermentation medium. In this method, the fermentation broth containing the isobutanol is distilled to near the azeotropic composition, and then the remaining water is removed by pervaporation through a hydrophilic membrane (Guo et al., J. Membr. Sci. 245, 199-210 (2004)).

In situ product removal (ISPR) (also referred to as extractive fermentation) can be used to remove butanol (or other fermentative alcohol) from the fermentation vessel as it is produced, thereby allowing the microorganism to produce butanol at high yields. One method for ISPR for removing fermentative alcohol that has been described in the art is liquid-liquid extraction. In general, with regard to butanol fermentation, for example, the fermentation medium, which includes the microorganism, is contacted with an organic extractant at a time before the butanol concentration reaches a toxic level. The organic extractant and the fermentation medium form a biphasic mixture. The butanol partitions into the organic extractant phase, decreasing the concentration in the aqueous phase containing the microorganism, thereby limiting the exposure of the microorganism to the inhibitory butanol.

Liquid-liquid extraction can be performed, for example, according to the processes described in U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 2009/0305370, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 2009/0305370 describes methods for producing and recovering butanol from a fermentation broth using liquid-liquid extraction, the methods comprising the step of contacting the fermentation broth with a water immiscible extractant to form a two-phase mixture comprising an aqueous phase and an organic phase. Typically, the extractant can be an organic extractant selected from the group consisting of saturated, mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated (and mixtures thereof) C12 to C22 fatty alcohols, C12 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C12 to C22 fatty acids, C12 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof. The extractant(s) for ISPR can be non-alcohol extractants. The ISPR extractant can be an exogenous organic extractant such as oleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, 1-undecanol, oleic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, methyl myristate, methyl oleate, undecanal, lauric aldehyde, 20-methylundecanal, and mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, an ester can be formed by contacting the alcohol in a fermentation medium with an organic acid (e.g., fatty acids) and a catalyst capable of esterfiying the alcohol with the organic acid. In such embodiments, the organic acid can serve as an ISPR extractant into which the alcohol esters partition. The organic acid can be supplied to the fermentation vessel and/or derived from the biomass supplying fermentable carbon fed to the fermentation vessel. Lipids present in the feedstock can be catalytically hydrolyzed to organic acid, and the same catalyst (e.g., enzymes) can esterify the organic acid with the alcohol. The catalyst can be supplied to the feedstock prior to fermentation, or can be supplied to the fermentation vessel before or contemporaneously with the supplying of the feedstock. When the catalyst is supplied to the fermentation vessel, alcohol esters can be obtained by hydrolysis of the lipids into organic acid and substantially simultaneous esterification of the organic acid with butanol present in the fermentation vessel. Organic acid and/or native oil not derived from the feedstock can also be fed to the fermentation vessel, with the native oil being hydrolyzed into organic acid. Any organic acid not esterified with the alcohol can serve as part of the ISPR extractant. The extractant containing alcohol esters can be separated from the fermentation medium, and the alcohol can be recovered from the extractant. The extractant can be recycled to the fermentation vessel. Thus, in the case of butanol production, for example, the conversion of the butanol to an ester reduces the free butanol concentration in the fermentation medium, shielding the microorganism from the toxic effect of increasing butanol concentration. In addition, unfractionated grain can be used as feedstock without separation of lipids therein, since the lipids can be catalytically hydrolyzed to organic acid, thereby decreasing the rate of build-up of lipids in the ISPR extractant.

In situ product removal can be carried out in a batch mode or a continuous mode. In a continuous mode of in situ product removal, product is continually removed from the reactor. In a batchwise mode of in situ product removal, a volume of organic extractant is added to the fermentation vessel and the extractant is not removed during the process. For in situ product removal, the organic extractant can contact the fermentation medium at the start of the fermentation forming a biphasic fermentation medium. Alternatively, the organic extractant can contact the fermentation medium after the microorganism has achieved a desired amount of growth, which can be determined by measuring the optical density of the culture. Further, the organic extractant can contact the fermentation medium at a time at which the product alcohol level in the fermentation medium reaches a preselected level. In the case of butanol production according to some embodiments of the present invention, the organic acid extractant can contact the fermentation medium at a time before the butanol concentration reaches a toxic level, so as to esterify the butanol with the organic acid to produce butanol esters and consequently reduce the concentration of butanol in the fermentation vessel. The ester-containing organic phase can then be removed from the fermentation vessel (and separated from the fermentation broth which constitutes the aqueous phase) after a desired effective titer of the butanol esters is achieved. In some embodiments, the ester-containing organic phase is separated from the aqueous phase after fermentation of the available fermentable sugar in the fermentation vessel is substantially complete.

Isobutanol titer in any phase can be determined by methods known in the art, such as via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas chromatography, as described, for example in US20090305370, incorporated herein by reference.

EXAMPLES

Plasmids: pYZ090 (SEQ ID NO: 69) was constructed to contain a chimeric gene having the coding region of the alsS gene from Bacillus subtilis (nt position 457-2172) expressed from the yeast CUP1 promoter (nt 2-449) and followed by the CYC1 terminator (nt 2181-2430) for expression of ALS, and a chimeric gene having the coding region of the ilvC gene from Lactococcus lactis (nt 3634-4656) expressed from the yeast ILV5 promoter (2433-3626) and followed by the ILV5 terminator (nt 4682-5304) for expression of KARI. pYZ090 was digested with Spel and Notl to remove most of the CUP1 promoter and all of the alsS coding sequence and CYC terminator. The vector was then self-ligated after treatment with Klenow fragment and transformed into E. coli Stbl3 cells, selecting for ampicillin resistance. Removal of the DNA region was confirmed for two independent clones by DNA sequencing across the ligation junction by PCR. The resulting plasmid was named pYZ090AalsS (SEQ ID NO: 182).

Plasmid pLH702 (SEQ ID NO: 218) was constructed in a series of steps from pYZ090 as described in the following paragraphs. This plasmid expresses KARI variant K9D3 (SEQ ID NO: 234) from the yeast ILV5 promoter. pYZ058 (pHR81-PCUP1-AlsS-PILV5-yeast KARI) was derived from pYZ090 (pHR81-PCUP1-AlsS-PILV5-lactis KARI). pYZ090 was cut with Pmel and Sfil enzymes, and ligated with a PCR product of yeast KARI. The PCR product was amplified from genomic DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae BY4741 (Research Genetics Inc.) strain using upper primer 5’-catcatcacagtttaaacagtatgttgaagcaaatcaacttcggtgg-3’ (SEQ ID NO: 248) and lower primer 5’- ggacgggccctgcaggccttattggttttctggtctcaactttctgac-3’ (SEQ ID NO: 249), and digested with Pmel and Sfil enzymes. pYZ058 was confirmed by sequencing. pl_H550 (pHR81-PCUP1-AlsS-PILV5-Pf5.KARI) was derived from pYZ058. The wild type Pf5.KARI gene was PCR amplified with OT1349 (5’- catcatcacagtttaaacagtatgaaagttttctacgataaagactgcgacc-3’ (SEQ ID NO: 250)) and OT1318 (5’-gcacttgataggcctgcagggccttagttcttggctttgtcgacgattttg-3’ (SEQ ID NO: 251)), digested with Pmel and Sfil enzymes and ligated with pYZ058 vector cut with Pmel and Sfil. The vector generated, pLH550, was confirmed by sequencing. pLH556 was derived from pLH550 by digesting the vector with Spel and Notl enzymes, and ligating with a linker annealed from OT1383 (5’-ctagtcaccggtggc-3’ (SEQ ID NO: 252)) and OT1384 (5’-ggccgccaccggtga-3’ (SEQ ID NO: 253)) which contains overhang sequences for Spel and Notl sites. This cloning step eliminates the alsS gene and a large fragment of the PCUP1 promoter from the plasmid, with 160 bp residual upstream sequence that is not functional. pLH556 was confirmed by sequencing. pLH702 was derived from pLH556. The K9D3 mutant KARI gene was excised from another vector using Pmel and Sfil enzymes, and ligated with pLH556 at Pmel and Sfil sites, replacing the Pf5.KARI gene with the K9D3 gene. The constructed vector pLH702 was confirmed by sequencing.

The pLH468 plasmid was constructed for expression of DHAD, KivD and HADH in yeast. pBP915 was constructed from pLH468 by deleting the kivD gene and 957 base pairs of the TDH3 promoter upstream of kivD. pLH468 was digested with Swal and the large fragment (12896 bp) was purified on an agarose gel followed by a Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen; Valencia, CA). The isolated fragment of DNA was self-ligated with T4 DNA ligase and used to transform electrocompetent TOP10 Escherichia coli (Invitrogen; Carlsbad, CA). Plasmids from transformants were isolated and checked for the proper deletion by restriction analysis with the Swal restriction enzyme. Isolates were also sequenced across the deletion site. A clone with the proper deletion was designated pBP915 (pLH468AkivD; SEQ ID NO: 166). pYZ067 (SEQ ID NO: 254) was constructed to contain the following chimeric genes: 1) the coding region of the ilvD gene from S. mutans UA159 with a C-terminal Lumio tag expressed from the yeast FBA1 promoter followed by the FBA1 terminator for expression of dihydroxy acid dehydratase, 2) the coding region for horse liver ADH expressed from the yeast GPM1 promoter followed by the ADH1 terminator for expression of alcohol dehydrogenase, and 3) the coding region of the KivD gene from Lactococcus lactis expressed from the yeast TDH3 promoter followed by the TDH3 terminator for expression of ketoisovalerate decarboxylase.

Plasmid pYZ067AkivDAhADH was constructed from pYZ067 by deleting the promoter-gene-terminator cassettes for both kivD and adh. pYZ067 was digested with BamHI and Sacl (New England BioLabs; Ipswich, MA) and the 7934 bp fragment was purified on an agarose gel followed by a Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen; Valencia, CA). The isolated fragment of DNA was treated with DNA Polymerase I, Large (Klenow) Fragment (New England BioLabs; Ipswich, MA) and then self-ligated with T4 DNA ligase and used to transform competent TOP10 Escherichia coli (Invitrogen; Carlsbad, CA). Plasmids from transformants were isolated and checked for the proper deletion by sequence analysis. A correct plasmid isolate was designated pYZ067AkivDAhADH (SEQ ID NO: 255).

Example 1: Expression of candidate enzymes in E. coli

Based on a biodiversity search (described herein above), genes encoding 9 enzymes (Table 5) were synthesized using codons optimized for expression in E. coli (DNA2.0, Menlo Park, Calif). Each gene was cloned under control of the T5 promoter in the vector pJexpress404 (DNA2.0, Menlo Park, Calif) and expressed in E. coli Top10 (Invitrogen,

San Diego, Calif). Following shake flask growth at 37C to OD600 nm = 0.5 in LB media supplemented with 100 ug ampicillin/mL, with or without supplementation of 30 mg/L thiamine, 1 mM IPTG was added and the cultures grown for an additional 14-16 hrs. Cells were harvested by centrifugation and heterologous protein expression was confirmed by SDS-PAGE.

Table 5. Candidate KIVD enzymes.

Example 2: Expression of candidate enzymes in E. coli

Based on the enzyme assay results from the first round biodiversity search, genes encoding 13 additional enzymes (Table 6) were synthesized using codons optimized for expression in E. coli (DNA2.0, Menlo Park, Calif). In addition, a codon optimized gene encoding the L lactis kivD (control; SEQ ID NO:1) was prepared. Each gene was cloned under control of the T5 promoter in the vector pJexpress404 (DNA2.0, Menlo Park, Calif) and expressed in E. coli Top10 (Invitrogen, San Diego, Calif). Following shake flask growth at 37C to OD600 nm = 0.5 in LB media supplemented with 100 ug ampicillin/mL, with or without supplementation of 30 mg/L thiamine , 1 mM IPTG was added and the cultures grown for an additional 14-16 hrs. Cells were harvested by centrifugation and heterologous protein expression was confirmed by SDS-PAGE.

Table 6. Second round selection of candidate KIVD enzymes.

Example 3. Identification of enzymes that exhibit KIVD activity when expressed in E. coli

Putative KIVD enzymes were identified as having the desired a-ketoisovalerate (aKIV) decarboxylase activity by enzymatic assay of E. coli cell free extracts, described below. The expression of the putative enzymes in E. coli is detailed in Examples 1 and 2.

Preparation of Cell Free Extract E. coli cells were suspended in 3 mL of 100 mM HEPES, pH 6.8,10 mM MgCI2 and broken by sonication at 0°C. The cells were sonicated with a microtip probe for 10 seconds, with 25 seconds of rest. This cycle was repeated 12 times, for a total of 2 minutes of sonication. The crude extract from the broken cells was centrifuged to pellet the cell debris. The supernatants were removed and stored on ice until assayed.

Protein Quantification

The total protein concentration in cell free extracts was measured by the Bradford Assay using Coomassie Plus (Thermo Scientific #23238, Rockford, III.)· BSA was employed as a standard. The concentration of protein was measured by following absorbance at 595 nm using a Cary 300 spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies, Wilmington Del.). KIVD Enzyme Assay Protocol - Coupled

The rates for the conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde were measured in a horse liver ADH (hADH) coupled enzyme assay, which has been described in Gocke, D. et al. (Adv. Synth. Catal. 2007, 349, 1425 - 1435). Assays of cell free extracts were performed at 30 °C in buffer containing 100 mM HEPES pH 6.8, 10 mM MgCb, 200 μΜ NADH, 500 μΜ TPP, 30 mM α-KIV (Sigma), and 0.45 U hADH (1mg = 1.5 U) (Sigma). The oxidation of NADH was monitored at 340 nm in a 1 cm path length cuvette on a Cary 300 spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies, Wilmington Del.) The enzyme rate was calculated using the molar extinction coefficient of 6220 M'1 cm'1 for NADH. Controls at various concentrations of hADH and cell free extract ensured that measured rate was determined by KIVD enzyme activity.

The specific activities of the putative KIVD enzymes expressed in E. coli were calculated from measured enzyme activities and total protein concentrations. The results from round 1 and 2 are shown in Tables 7 and 8, respectively.

Table 7: KIVD activities for Round 1 Putatives

Table 8: KIVD activities for Round 2 Putatives

KIVD Enzyme Assay Protocol - Colorimetric

The rates for the conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutryaldehyde for three enzymes with high KIVD activities were also measured with the aldehyde-specific Purpald® (Sigma) colorimetric enzyme assay, which has been described by DuPont-Durst and Gokel (J. Chem Edu. 1978, 55, 206). Assays of cell free extracts were performed at 30°C in buffer containing 100 mM HEPES pH 6.8, 10 mM MgCh, 500 μΜ TPP and 30 mM α-KIV. The total reaction volume was 1 ml_. Formation of isobutyraldehyde was monitored by removing 200 μΙ_ aliquots at fixed time points (0, 10, 20 and 30 minutes) and quenching the reaction in 1 ml_ of Purpald® stock solution (5 mg/ml_ of Purpald in 2 M NaOH). The mixture was then incubated at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow for color development. The mixture was mixed every 5 minutes during the incubation process. A standard curve of 0 to 10 mM isobutyraldehyde was used to determine the concentration of isobutyraldehyde being generated by the enzyme. 200 μΙ_ of each standard was made and added to 1 ml_ Purpald® stock solution alongside the zero time point. The standard was incubated at room temperature for 20 minutes and mixed every 5 minutes. Absorbance at 535 nm was measured with a Cary 300 spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies, Wilmington Del.). The specific activities of the putative KIVD enzymes expressed in E. coli were calculated from measured enzyme activities and total protein concentrations.

Equivalent specific activities were found with the colorimetric and continuous coupled assays as shown in Table 9.

Table 9: Comparison of Colorimetric and Coupled Assays

Example 4. Measurement of TPP cofactor activation constant of KIVD Enzymes

The three putative KIVD enzymes with the highest activity from Rounds 1 and 2 (KivD80, KivD81, and Mca), L. lactis KivD and KdcA were evaluated for TPP cofactor activation constants in crude lysates of the E. coli cells. The expression of these enzymes in E. coli is described in Examples 1 and 2. Generation of crude lysates and protein quantification were performed as described in Example 3.

Desalting of Cell Free Extract

Zeba Desalt Spin Columns (VWR PI89889) were used to desalt the protein to remove loosely associated TPP. Column preparation was performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. All centrifugation steps were conducted at 1000 xg for 2 minutes. The first centrifugation step removed the manufacturer’s storage buffer. Four wash steps, consisting of the addition of 2 mL 100 mM HEPES, pH 6.8 to the column and followed by centrifugation, prepared the column for desalting the cell lysate. After the wash steps were finished, the column was placed in a fresh 15 mL Corning tube (VWR, 21008-670) and 600 pL of the cell lysate was added to the desalting column and centrifuged. The effluent was collected and analyzed for TPP dependent KivD activity. KIVD Enzyme Assay Protocol - Coupled

The rates for the conversion of α-ketoisovalerate to isobutryaldehyde were measured in a horse liver ADH (hADH) coupled enzyme assay, which has been described in Gocke, D. et al. (Adv. Synth. Catal. 2007, 349, 1425 - 1435). Assays of cell free extracts were performed at 30 °C in buffer containing 100 mM HEPES pH 6.8, 10 mM MgCb, 200 μΜ NADH, 30 mM oc-KIV (Sigma), and 0.45 U hADH (1mg = 1.5 U) (Sigma). TPP concentration was varied. The oxidation of NADH was monitored at 340 nm in a 1 cm path length cuvette on a Cary 300 spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies, Wilmington Del.) The enzyme rate was calculated using the molar extinction coefficient of 6220 M'1 cm'1 for NADH. Controls at various concentrations of hADH and cell free extract ensured that measured rate was determined by KIVD enzyme activity.

The specific activities of the putative KIVD enzymes expressed in E. coli were calculated from measured enzyme activities and total protein concentrations. These specific activities were plotted against TPP concentration. Using Kaleidagraph (Synergy), the resulting curves were fit to the saturation equation (SA=(SAmax*[TPP])/(Kc+[TPP]))+C). The TPP cofactor activation constants (Kc) were determined and values are listed in Table 10.

Table 10: TPP Cofactor Activation Constants for KivD Putatives

Example 5. KIVD activity of selected Round 2 enzymes following expression in E. coli with thiamine supplemented media

Based on sequence homology to enzymes that possess KIVD activity, five of the round 2 candidates were analyzed further. Vector without an insert and Mca were employed as negative and positive controls, respectively. Expression in E. coli was performed as described in Example 2, with the modification that 30 mg/L thiamine hydrochloride (Sigma) was supplemented in the growth media. Crude extacts were prepared and assayed as described in Example 3. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that Npu was expressed in E. coli as an insoluble protein.

Table 11: KIVD activities for enzymes expressed with thiamine supplemented media

Example 6. Measurement of Substrate Specificity Ratios

Two putative KIVD enzymes (KivD81, Mca), KdcA and Lactis KivD, were evaluated for substrate preference. Plasmids (see examples 1 and 2 for plasmid description) encoding for each of the enzymes were isolated and transformed into electrocompetent KEIO Aldh strain of E. coli (Open Biosystems, Huntsville, AL). Following shake flask growth at 30°C to OD600 nm = 0.5 in LB media supplemented with 100 ug ampicillin/mL, 1 mM IPTG was added and the cultures grown for an additional 14-16 hrs. Crude cell lysates were generated as follows and the putative KivD enzymes were analyzed in regard to activity with aKiv and pyruvate.

Preparation of Cell Free Extract E. coli cells were suspended in 3 mL of 100 mM HEPES, pH 6.8, 10 mM MgCl2 and broken by sonication at 0°C. The cells were sonicated with a probe for 10 seconds, with 25 seconds of rest. This cycle was repeated 12 times, for a total of 2 minutes of sonication. The crude extract from the broken cells was centrifuged to pellet the cell debris. The supernatants were removed and stored on ice until assayed.

Protein Quantification

The total protein concentration in cell free extracts was measured by the Bradford Assay using Coomassie Plus (Thermo Scientific #23238, Rockford, III.). BSA was employed as a standard. The concentration of protein was measured by following absorbance at 595 nm using a Cary 50 spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies, Wilmington Del.). KIVD Enzyme Assay Protocol - Coupled

The rates for the conversion of ketoisovalerate to isobutryaldehyde were measured in a horse liver ADH (hADH) coupled enzyme assay, which has been described in Gocke, D. et al. (Adv. Synth. Catal. 2007, 349,1425 -1435). Assays of cell free extracts were performed at 30 °C in buffer containing 100 mM HEPES pH 6.8, 10 mM MgCh, 200 μΜ NADH, 500 μΜ TPP, and 0.45 U hADH (1mg = 1.5 U) (Sigma). The substrate, pyruvate (Sigma) or aKIV (Sigma) was added at various concentrations. The oxidation of NADH was monitored at 340 nm in a 1 cm path length cuvette on a Cary 300 spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies, Wilmington Del.) The enzyme rate was calculated using the molar extinction coefficient of 6220 M'1 cm'1 for NADH. Controls at various concentrations of hADH and cell free extract ensured that measured rate was determined by KIVD enzyme activity.

The specific activities of the putative KIVD enzymes expressed in E. coli were calculated from measured enzyme activities and total protein concentrations. These specific activities were plotted against the appropriate substrate. Using Kaleidagraph (Synergy), the resulting curves were fit to the Michaelis-Menton equation and Km and Vmax were determined. Kinetic values and specificity ratio ([(Vmax/Km)aKiv] /[(Vmax/Km)pyruvate]) are listed in Table 12.

Table 12: Kinetic Values of KivD Putatives

Example 7: Construction of PNY1503(BP1064)

Construction of Saccharomvces cerevisiae strain BP1064 (PNY1503)

The strain BP1064 was derived from CEN.PK 113-7D (CBS 8340; Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS) Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Netherlands) and contains deletions of the following genes: URA3, HIS3, PDC1, PDC5, PDC6, and GPD2.

Deletions, which completely removed the entire coding sequence, were created by homologous recombination with PCR fragments containing regions of homology upstream and downstream of the target gene and either a G418 resistance marker or URA3 gene for selection of transformants. The G418 resistance marker, flanked by loxP sites, was removed using Cre recombinase (pRS423::PGAL1-cre; SEQ ID NO: 71). The URA3 gene was removed by homologous recombination to create a scarless deletion, or if flanked by loxP sites was removed using Cre recombinase.

The scarless deletion procedure was adapted from Akada et al., Yeast, 23:399, 2006. In general, the PCR cassette for each scarless deletion was made by combining four fragments, A-B-U-C, by overlapping PCR. The PCR cassette contained a selectable/counter-selectable marker, URA3 (Fragment U), consisting of the native CEN.PK 113-7D URA3 gene, along with the promoter (250 bp upstream of the URA3 gene) and terminator (150 bp downstream of the URA3 gene). Fragments A and C corresponded to the 500 bp immediately upstream of the target gene (Fragment A) and the 500 bp of the 3’ end of the target gene (Fragment C). Fragments A and C were used for integration of the cassette into the chromosome by homologous recombination. Fragment B (500 bp long) corresponded to the 500 bp immediately downstream of the target gene and was used for excision of the URA3 marker and Fragment C from the chromosome by homologous recombination, as a direct repeat of the sequence corresponding to Fragment B was created upon integration of the cassette into the chromosome. Using the PCR product ABUC cassette, the URA3 marker was first integrated into and then excised from the chromosome by homologous recombination. The initial integration deleted the gene, excluding the 3' 500 bp. Upon excision, the 3' 500 bp region of the gene was also deleted. For integration of genes using this method, the gene to be integrated was included in the PCR cassette between fragments A and B. URA3 Deletion

To delete the endogenous URA3 coding region, a ura3::loxP-kanMX-loxP cassette was PCR-amplified from pLA54 template DNA (SEQ ID NO:72). pLA54 contains the K. lactis TEF1 promoter and kanMX marker, and is flanked by loxP sites to allow recombination with Cre recombinase and removal of the marker. PCR was done using Phusion DNA polymerase and primers BK505 and BK506 (SEQ ID NOs:73 and 74). The URA3 portion of each primer was derived from the 5' region upstream of the URA3 promoter and 3' region downstream of the coding region such that integration of the loxP-kanMX-loxP marker resulted in replacement of the URA3 coding region. The PCR product was transformed into CEN.PK 113-7D using standard genetic techniques (Methods in Yeast Genetics, 2005, Cold Spring Flarbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, pp. 201-202) and transformants were selected on YPD containing G418 (100 pg/ml) at 30 °C. Transformants were screened to verify correct integration by PCR using primers LA468 and LA492 (SEQ ID NOs:75 and 76) and designated CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::kanMX. HIS3 Deletion

The four fragments for the PCR cassette for the scarless HIS3 deletion were amplified using Phusion High Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs; Ipswich, MA) and CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA as template, prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen; Valencia, CA). HIS3 Fragment A was amplified with primer oBP452 (SEQ ID NO: 77) and primer oBP453 (SEQ ID NO: 78), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of HIS3 Fragment B. HIS3 Fragment B was amplified with primer oBP454 (SEQ ID NO: 79), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 3' end of HIS3 Fragment A, and primer oBP455 (SEQ ID NO: 80), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of HIS3 Fragment U. HIS3 Fragment U was amplified with primer oBP456 (SEQ ID NO: 81), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of HIS3 Fragment B, and primer oBP457 (SEQ ID NO: 82), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of HIS3 Fragment C. HIS3 Fragment C was amplified with primer oBP458 (SEQ ID NO: 83), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of HIS3 Fragment U, and primer oBP459 (SEQ ID NO: 84). PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). HIS3 Fragment AB was created by overlapping PCR by mixing HIS3 Fragment A and HIS3 Fragment B and amplifying with primers oBP452 (SEQ ID NO: 77) and oBP455 (SEQ ID NO: 80). HIS3 Fragment UC was created by overlapping PCR by mixing HIS3 Fragment U and HIS3 Fragment C and amplifying with primers OBP456 (SEQ ID NO: 81) and oBP459 (SEQ ID NO: 84). The resulting PCR products were purified on an agarose gel followed by a Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen). The HIS3 ABUC cassette was created by overlapping PCR by mixing HIS3 Fragment AB and HIS3 Fragment UC and amplifying with primers oBP452 (SEQ ID NO: 77) and oBP459 (SEQ ID NO: 84). The PCR product was purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen).

Competent cells of CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::kanMX were made and transformed with the HIS3 ABUC PCR cassette using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research; Orange, CA). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 2% glucose at 30 °C. Transformants with a his3 knockout were screened for by PCR with primers oBP460 (SEQ ID NO: 85) and oBP461 (SEQ ID NO: 86) using genomic DNA prepared with a

Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). A correct transformant was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::kanMXAhis3::URA3.

KanMX Marker Removal from the Aura3 Site and URA3 Marker Removal from the Ahis3 Site

The KanMX marker was removed by transforming CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::kanMX Ahis3::URA3 with pRS423::PGAL1-cre (SEQ ID NO: 71) using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research) and plating on synthetic complete medium lacking histidine and uracil supplemented with 2% glucose at 30 °C. Transformants were grown in YP supplemented with 1% galactose at 30 °C for ~6 hours to induce the Cre recombinase and KanMX marker excision and plated onto YPD (2% glucose) plates at 30 °C for recovery. An isolate was grown overnight in YPD and plated on synthetic complete medium containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 °C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. 5-FOA resistant isolates were grown in and plated on YPD for removal of the pRS423::PGAL1-cre plasmid. Isolates were checked for loss of the KanMX marker, URA3 marker, and pRS423::PGAL1-cre plasmid by assaying growth on YPD+G418 plates, synthetic complete medium lacking uracil plates, and synthetic complete medium lacking histidine plates. A correct isolate that was sensitive to G418 and auxotrophic for uracil and histidine was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 and designated as BP857. The deletions and marker removal were confirmed by PCR and sequencing with primers OBP450 (SEQ ID NO: 87) and OBP451 (SEQ ID NO: 88) for Aura3 and primers OBP460 (SEQ ID NO: 85) and oBP461 (SEQ ID NO: 86) for Ahis3 using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). PDC6 Deletion

The four fragments for the PCR cassette for the scarless PDC6 deletion were amplified using Phusion High Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs) and CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA as template, prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). PDC6 Fragment A was amplified with primer oBP440 (SEQ ID NO: 89) and primer oBP441 (SEQ ID NO: 90), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC6 Fragment B. PDC6 Fragment B was amplified with primer 0BP442 (SEQ ID NO: 91), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3” end of PDC6 Fragment A, and primer oBP443 (SEQ ID NO: 92), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC6 Fragment U. PDC6 Fragment U was amplified with primer oBP444 (SEQ ID NO: 93), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of PDC6 Fragment B, and primer oBP445 (SEQ ID NO: 94), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC6 Fragment C. PDC6 Fragment C was amplified with primer oBP446 (SEQ ID NO: 95), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of PDC6 Fragment U, and primer oBP447 (SEQ ID NO: 96). PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). PDC6 Fragment AB was created by overlapping PCR by mixing PDC6 Fragment A and PDC6 Fragment B and amplifying with primers oBP440 (SEQ ID NO: 89) and oBP443 (SEQ ID NO: 92). PDC6 Fragment UC was created by overlapping PCR by mixing PDC6 Fragment U and PDC6 Fragment C and amplifying with primers oBP444 (SEQ ID NO: 93) and oBP447 (SEQ ID NO: 96). The resulting PCR products were purified on an agarose gel followed by a Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen). The PDC6 ABUC cassette was created by overlapping PCR by mixing PDC6 Fragment AB and PDC6 Fragment UC and amplifying with primers oBP440 (SEQ ID NO: 89) and oBP447 (SEQ ID NO: 96). The PCR product was purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen).

Competent cells of CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 were made and transformed with the PDC6 ABUC PCR cassette using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 2% glucose at 30 °C. Transformants with a pdc6 knockout were screened for by PCR with primers oBP448 (SEQ ID NO: 97) and oBP449 (SEQ ID NO: 98) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). A correct transformant was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6::URA3. CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6::URA3 was grown overnight in YPD and plated on synthetic complete medium containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 °C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion and marker removal were confirmed by PCR and sequencing with primers oBP448 (SEQ ID NO: 97) and oBP449 (SEQ ID NO: 98) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The absence of the PDC6 gene from the isolate was demonstrated by a negative PCR result using primers specific for the coding sequence of PDC6, oBP554 (SEQ ID NO: 99) and OBP555 (SEQ ID NO: 100). The correct isolate was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 and designated as BP891. PDC1 Deletion ilvDSm Integration

The PDC1 gene was deleted and replaced with the ilvD coding region from Streptococcus mutans ATCC #700610. The A fragment followed by the ilvD coding region from Streptococcus mutans for the PCR cassette for the PDC1 deletion-ilvDSm integration was amplified using Phusion High Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs) and NYLA83 (described in U.S. App. Pub. No. 20110124060, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) genomic DNA as template, prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). (NYLA83 is a strain that carries the PDC1 deletion ilvDSm integration described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0305363, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.) PDC1 Fragment A-ilvDSm (SEQ ID NO: 101) was amplified with primer oBP513 (SEQ ID NO: 102) and primer oBP515 (SEQ ID NO: 103), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC1 Fragment B. The B, U, and C fragments for the PCR cassette for the PDC1 deletion-ilvDSm integration were amplified using Phusion High Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs) and CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA as template, prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). PDC1 Fragment B was amplified with primer oBP516 (SEQ ID NO: 104) containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of PDC1 Fragment A-ilvDSm, and primer OBP517 (SEQ ID NO: 105), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC1 Fragment U. PDC1 Fragment U was amplified with primer OBP518 (SEQ ID NO: 106), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of PDC1 Fragment B, and primer oBP519 (SEQ ID NO: 107), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC1 Fragment C. PDC1 Fragment C was amplified with primer oBP520 (SEQ ID NO: 108), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of PDC1 Fragment U, and primer oBP521 (SEQ ID NO: 109). PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). PDC1 Fragment A-ilvDSm-B was created by overlapping PCR by mixing PDC1 Fragment A-ilvDSm and PDC1 Fragment B and amplifying with primers oBP513 (SEQ ID NO: 102) and oBP517 (SEQ ID NO: 105). PDC1 Fragment UC was created by overlapping PCR by mixing PDC1 Fragment U and PDC1 Fragment C and amplifying with primers oBP518 (SEQ ID NO: 106) and oBP521 (SEQ ID NO: 109). The resulting PCR products were purified on an agarose gel followed by a Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen). The PDC1 A-ilvDSm-BUC cassette was created by overlapping PCR by mixing PDC1 Fragment A-ilvDSm-B and PDC1 Fragment UC and amplifying with primers OBP513 (SEQ ID NO: 102) and oBP521 (SEQ ID NO: 109). The PCR product was purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen).

Competent cells of CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 were made and transformed with the PDC1 A-ilvDSm-BUC PCR cassette using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 2% glucose at 30 °C. Transformants with a pdc1 knockout ilvDSm integration were screened for by PCR with primers oBP511 (SEQ ID NO: 110) and oBP512 (SEQ ID NO: 111) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The absence of the PDC1 gene from the isolate was demonstrated by a negative PCR result using primers specific for the coding sequence of PDC1, OBP550 (SEQ ID NO:112) and oBP551 (SEQ ID NO:113). A correct transformant was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdcl ::ilvDSm-URA3. CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdcl::ilvDSm-URA3 was grown overnight in YPD and plated on synthetic complete medium containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 °C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion of PDC1, integration of ilvDSm, and marker removal were confirmed by PCR and sequencing with primers OBP511 (SEQ ID NO:110) and oBP512 (SEQ ID NO:111) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The correct isolate was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdc1::ilvDSm and designated as BP907. PDC5 Deletion sadB Integration

The PDC5 gene was deleted and replaced with the sadB coding region from Achromobacter xylosoxidans (The sadB gene is described in U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 2009/0269823, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety). A segment of the PCR cassette for the PDC5 deletion-sadB integration was first cloned into plasmid pUC19-URA3MCS. pUC19-URA3MCS is pUC19 based and contains the sequence of the URA3 gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae situated within a multiple cloning site (MCS). pUC19 contains the pMB1 replicon and a gene coding for beta-lactamase for replication and selection in Escherichia coli. In addition to the coding sequence for URA3, the sequences from upstream and downstream of this gene were included for expression of the URA3 gene in yeast. The vector can be used for cloning purposes and can be used as a yeast integration vector.

The DNA encompassing the URA3 coding region along with 250 bp upstream and 150 bp downstream of the URA3 coding region from Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA was amplified with primers OBP438 (SEQ ID NO: 114), containing BamHI, AscI, Pmel, and Fsel restriction sites, and oBP439 (SEQ ID NO: 115), containing Xbal, Pad, and Notl restriction sites, using Phusion High-Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs). Genomic DNA was prepared using a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The PCR product and pUC19 (SEQ ID NO: 116) were ligated with T4 DNA ligase after digestion with BamHI and Xbal to create vector pUC19-URA3MCS. The vector was confirmed by PCR and sequencing with primers oBP264 (SEQ ID NO: 117) and OBP265 (SEQ ID NO: 118).

The coding sequence of sadB and PDC5 Fragment B were cloned into pUC19-URA3MCS to create the sadB-BU portion of the PDC5 A-sadB-BUC PCR cassette. The coding sequence of sadB was amplified using pLH468-sadB (SEQ ID NO: 119) as template with primer oBP530 (SEQ ID NO: 120), containing an AscI restriction site, and primer oBP531 (SEQ ID NO: 121), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC5 Fragment B. PDC5 Fragment B was amplified with primer oBP532 (SEQ ID NO: 122), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of sadB, and primer oBP533 (SEQ ID NO:123), containing a Pmel restriction site. PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). sadB-PDC5 Fragment B was created by overlapping PCR by mixing the sadB and PDC5 Fragment B PCR products and amplifying with primers OBP530 (SEQ ID NO: 120) and OBP533 (SEQ ID NO: 123). The resulting PCR product was digested with AscI and Pmel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of pUC19-URA3MCS after digestion with the appropriate enzymes. The resulting plasmid was used as a template for amplification of sadB-Fragment B-Fragment U using primers OBP536 (SEQ ID NO: 124) and oBP546 (SEQ ID NO: 125), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of PDC5 Fragment C. PDC5 Fragment C was amplified with primer oBP547 (SEQ ID NO: 126) containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of PDC5 sadB-Fragment B-Fragment U, and primer oBP539 (SEQ ID NO: 127). PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). PDC5 sadB-Fragment B-Fragment U-Fragment C was created by overlapping PCR by mixing PDC5 sadB-Fragment B-Fragment U and PDC5 Fragment C and amplifying with primers OBP536 (SEQ ID NO: 124) and OBP539 (SEQ ID NO: 127). The resulting PCR product was purified on an agarose gel followed by a Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen). The PDC5 A-sadB-BUC cassette (SEQ ID NO: 128) was created by amplifying PDC5 sadB-Fragment B-Fragment U-Fragment C with primers oBP542 (SEQ ID NO: 129), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 50 nucleotides immediately upstream of the native PDC5 coding sequence, and OBP539 (SEQ ID NO: 127). The PCR product was purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen).

Competent cells of CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdcl::ilvDSm were made and transformed with the PDC5 A-sadB-BUC PCR cassette using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol (no glucose) at 30 °C. Transformants with a pdc5 knockout sadB integration were screened for by PCR with primers OBP540 (SEQ ID NO: 130) and oBP541 (SEQ ID NO: 131) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The absence of the PDC5 gene from the isolate was demonstrated by a negative PCR result using primers specific for the coding sequence of PDC5, OBP552 (SEQ ID NO: 132) and OBP553 (SEQ ID NO: 133). A correct transformant was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdcl ::ilvDSm Apdc5::sadB-URA3. CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdc1::ilvDSm Apdc5::sadB-URA3 was grown overnight in YPE (1% ethanol) and plated on synthetic complete medium supplemented with ethanol (no glucose) and containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 °C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion of PDC5, integration of sadB, and marker removal were confirmed by PCR with primers oBP540 (SEQ ID NO: 130) and oBP541 (SEQ ID NO: 131) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The correct isolate was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdc1::ilvDSm Apdc5::sadB and designated as BP913. GPD2 Deletion

To delete the endogenous GPD2 coding region, a gpd2::loxP-URA3-loxP cassette (SEQ ID NO: 134) was PCR-amplified using loxP-URA3-loxP PCR (SEQ ID NO: 135) as template DNA. loxP-URA3-loxP contains the URA3 marker from (ATCC # 77107) flanked by loxP recombinase sites. PCR was done using Phusion DNA polymerase and primers LA512 and LA513 (SEQ ID NOs: 136 and 137). The GPD2 portion of each primer was derived from the 5' region upstream of the GPD2 coding region and 3' region downstream of the coding region such that integration of the loxP-URA3-loxP marker resulted in replacement of the GPD2 coding region. The PCR product was transformed into BP913 and transformants were selected on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol (no glucose). Transformants were screened to verify correct integration by PCR using primers oBP582 and AA270 (SEQ ID NOs:138 and 139).

The URA3 marker was recycled by transformation with pRS423::PGAL1-cre (SEQ ID NO: 71) and plating on synthetic complete media lacking histidine supplemented with 1% ethanol at 30 C. Transformants were streaked on synthetic complete medium supplemented with 1% ethanol and containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) and incubated at 30 C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. 5-FOA resistant isolates were grown in YPE (1% ethanol) for removal of the pRS423::PGAL1-cre plasmid. The deletion and marker removal were confirmed by PCR with primers oBP582 (SEQ ID NO: 138) and OBP591 (SEQ ID NO: 140). The correct isolate was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D Aura3::loxP Ahis3 Apdc6 Apdc1::ilvDSm Apdc5::sadB Agpd2::loxP and designated as BP1064 (PNY1503).

Example 8: Construction of PNY1507

Construction of Saccharomvces cerevisiae strains BP1135 (PNY1505) and PNY1507 and Isobutanol-Producina Derivatives

The purpose of this Example was to construct Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains BP1135 and PNY1507. These strains were derived from PNY1503 (BP1064). The construction of PNY1503 (BP1064) is described above. BP1135 contains an additional deletion of the FRA2 gene. PNY1507 was derived from BP1135 with additional deletion of the ADH1 gene, with integration of the kivD gene from Lactococcus lactis, codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, into the ADH1 locus. FRA2 Deletion

The FRA2 deletion was designed to delete 250 nucleotides from the 3' end of the coding sequence, leaving the first 113 nucleotides of the FRA2 coding sequence intact. An in-frame stop codon was present 7 nucleotides downstream of the deletion. The four fragments for the PCR cassette for the scarless FRA2 deletion were amplified using Phusion High

Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs; Ipswich, MA) and CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA as template, prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen; Valencia, CA). FRA2 Fragment A was amplified with primer oBP594 (SEQ ID NO: 141) and primer oBP595 (SEQ ID NO: 142), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of FRA2 Fragment B. FRA2 Fragment B was amplified with primer oBP596 (SEQ ID NO: 143), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of FRA2 Fragment A, and primer oBP597 (SEQ ID NO: 144), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of FRA2 Fragment U. FRA2 Fragment U was amplified with primer oBP598 (SEQ ID NO: 145), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of FRA2 Fragment B, and primer oBP599 (SEQ ID NO: 146), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of FRA2 Fragment C. FRA2 Fragment C was amplified with primer 0BP6OO (SEQ ID NO: 147), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of FRA2 Fragment U, and primer 0BP6OI (SEQ ID NO: 148). PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). FRA2 Fragment AB was created by overlapping PCR by mixing FRA2 Fragment A and FRA2 Fragment B and amplifying with primers oBP594 (SEQ ID NO: 141) and oBP597 (SEQ ID NO: 144). FRA2 Fragment UC was created by overlapping PCR by mixing FRA2 Fragment U and FRA2 Fragment C and amplifying with primers OBP598 (SEQ ID NO: 145) and 0BP6OI (SEQ ID NO: 148). The resulting PCR products were purified on an agarose gel followed by a Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen). The FRA2 ABUC cassette was created by overlapping PCR by mixing FRA2 Fragment AB and FRA2 Fragment UC and amplifying with primers oBP594 (SEQ ID NO: 141) and 0BP6OI (SEQ ID NO: 148). The PCR product was purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen).

Competent cells of PNY1503 were made and transformed with the FRA2 ABUC PCR cassette using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research; Orange, CA). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol at 30 °C. Transformants with a fra2 knockout were screened for by PCR with primers oBP602 (SEQ ID NO:149) and OBP603 (SEQ ID NO: 150) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). A correct transformant was grown in YPE (yeast extract, peptone, 1% ethanol) and plated on synthetic complete medium containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 °C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion and marker removal were confirmed by PCR with primers OBP602 (SEQ ID NO: 149) and OBP603 (SEQ ID NO: 150) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The absence of the FRA2 gene from the isolate was demonstrated by a negative PCR result using primers specific for the deleted coding sequence of FRA2, OBP605 (SEQ ID NO: 151) and 0BP6O6 (SEQ ID NO: 152). The correct isolate was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D MATa ura3A::loxP his3A pdc6A pdc1A::P[PDC1]-DHAD|ilvD_Sm-PDC1t pdc5A::P[PDC5]-ADH|sadB_Ax-PDC5t gpd2A::loxP fra2A and designated as PNY1505 (BP1135). This strain was transformed with isobutanol pathway plasmids (pYZ090, SEQ ID NO: 69) and pLH468 (SEQ ID NO: 70), and one clone was designated BP1168 (PNY1506). ADH1 Deletion and kivD LKv) Integration

The ADH1 gene was deleted and replaced with the kivD coding region from Lactococcus lactis codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The scarless cassette for the ADH1 deletion-kivD_LI(y) integration was first cloned into plasmid pUC19-URA3MCS.

The kivD coding region from Lactococcus lactis codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was amplified using pLH468 (SEQ ID NO: 70) as template with primer OBP562 (SEQ ID NO: 153), containing a Pmel restriction site, and primer OBP563 (SEQ ID NO: 154), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 5' end of ADH1 Fragment B. ADH1 Fragment B was amplified from genomic DNA prepared as above with primer OBP564 (SEQ ID NO: 155), containing a 5' tail with homology to the 3' end of kivD_LI(y), and primer oBP565 (SEQ ID NO: 156), containing a Fsel restriction site. PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). kivD_LI(y)-ADH1 Fragment B was created by overlapping PCR by mixing the kivD_LI(y) and ADH1 Fragment B PCR products and amplifying with primers oBP562 (SEQ ID NO: 153) and OBP565 (SEQ ID NO: 156). The resulting PCR product was digested with Pmel and Fsel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of pUC19-URA3MCS after digestion with the appropriate enzymes. ADH1 Fragment A was amplified from genomic DNA with primer OBP505 (SEQ ID NO: 157), containing a Sacl restriction site, and primer OBP506 (SEQ ID NO: 158), containing an AscI restriction site. The ADH1 Fragment A PCR product was digested with Sacl and AscI and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing kivDJJ(y)-ADH1 Fragment B. ADH1 Fragment C was amplified from genomic DNA with primer oBP507 (SEQ ID NO: 159), containing a Pad restriction site, and primer oBP508 (SEQ ID NO: 160), containing a Sail restriction site. The ADH1 Fragment C PCR product was digested with Pad and Sail and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing ADH1 Fragment A-kivD_LI(y)-ADH1 Fragment B. The hybrid promoter UAS(PGK1)-Pfbai was amplified from vector pRS316-UAS(PGK1)-PFBAi-GUS (SEQ ID NO: 161) with primer OBP674 (SEQ ID NO: 162), containing an AscI restriction site, and primer oBP675 (SEQ ID NO: 163), containing a Pmel restriction site. The UAS(PGK1)-Pfbai PCR product was digested with AscI and Pmel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing kivD_LI(y)-ADH1 Fragments ABC. The entire integration cassette was amplified from the resulting plasmid with primers OBP505 (SEQ ID NO: 157) and OBP508 (SEQ ID NO: 160) and purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen).

Competent cells of PNY1505 were made and transformed with the ADH1-kivD_LI(y) PCR cassette constructed above using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol at 30 °C. Transformants were grown in YPE (1% ethanol) and plated on synthetic complete medium containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 °C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion of ADH1 and integration of kivD_LI(y) were confirmed by PCR with external primers oBP495 (SEQ ID NO: 164) and OBP496 (SEQ ID NO: 165) and with kivD_LI(y) specific primer oBP562 (SEQ ID NO: 153) and external primer oBP496 (SEQ ID NO: 165) using genomic DNA prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen). The correct isolate was selected as strain CEN.PK 113-7D MATa ura3A::loxP his3A pdc6A pdc1A::P[PDC1]-DHAD|ilvD_Sm-PDC1tpdc5A::P[PDC5]- ADH|sadB_Ax-PDC5t gpd2A::loxP fra2A adh1A::UAS(PGK1)P[FBA1]-kivD_LI(y)-ADH1t and designated as PNY1507 (BP1201).

Example 9: Construction of PNY2211

Construction of S. cerevisiae Strain PNY2211 and PNY2209 PNY2211 was constructed in several steps from S. cerevisiae strain PNY1507 as described in the following paragraphs. First the strain was modified to contain a phosophoketolase gene. Next, an acetolactate synthase gene (a/sS) was added to the strain, using an integration vector targeted to sequence adjacent to the phosphoketolase gene. Finally, homologous recombination was used to remove the phosphoketolase gene and integration vector sequences, resulting in a scarless insertion of alsS in the intergenic region between pdc1A::ilvD and the native TRX1 gene of chromosome XII. The resulting genotype of PNY2211 is MATa ura3A::loxP his3A pdc6A pdc1A::P[PDC1]-DHAD|ilvD_Sm-PDC1t-P[FBA1 ]-ALS|alsS_Bs-CYC11 pdc5A::P[PDC5]-ADH| sadB_Ax-PDC5t gpd2A::loxP fra2A adh1A::UAS(PGK1)P[FBA1]-kivD_LI(y)-ADH1t. A phosphoketolase gene cassette was introduced into PNY1507 by homologous recombination. The integration construct was generated as follows. The plasmid pRS423::CUP1-alsS+FBA-budA (previously described in US2009/0305363, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) was digested with NotI and Xma\ to remove the 1.8 kb FBA-budA sequence, and the vector was religated after treatment with Klenow fragment. Next, the CUP1 promoter was replaced with a TEF1 promoter variant (M4 variant previously described by Nevoigt et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72\ 5266-5273 (2006), which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) via DNA synthesis and vector construction service from DNA2.0 (Menlo Park, CA). The resulting plasmid, pRS423::TEF(M4)-alsS was cut with Stu\ and Mlu\ (removes 1.6 kb portion containing part of the alsS gene and CYC1 terminator), combined with the 4 kb PCR product generated from pRS426::GPD-xpk1+ADH-eutD (SEQ ID NO: 167) with primers N1176 (SEQ ID NO: 168) and N1177 (SEQ ID NO: 169) and an 0.8 kb PCR product DNA generated from yeast genomic DNA (EN01 promoter region) with primers N822 (SEQ ID NO: 170) and N1178 (SEQ ID NO: 171) and transformed into S. cerevisiae strain BY4741 (ATCC #201388); gap repair cloning methodology, see Ma et al. Gene 58:201-216 (1987). Transformants were obtained by plating cells on synthetic complete medium without histidine. Proper assembly of the expected plasmid (pRS423::TEF(M4)-xpk1+EN01-eutD, SEQ ID NO: 172) was confirmed by PCR (primers N821 (SEQ ID NO: 173) and N1115 (SEQ ID NO: 174)) and by restriction digest (Bgll). Two clones were subsequently sequenced. The 3.1 kb TEF(M4)-xpk1 gene was isolated by digestion with Sad and Not\ and cloned into the pUC19-URA3::ilvD-TRX1 vector (Clone A, cut with A//II). Cloning fragments were treated with Klenow fragment to generate blunt ends for ligation. Ligation reactions were transformed into E. coli Stbl3 cells, selecting for ampicillin resistance. Insertion of TEF(M4)-xpk1 was confirmed by PCR (primers N1110 (SEQ ID NO: 175) and N1114 (SEQ ID NO: 176)). The vector was linearized with Aff\\ and treated with Klenow fragment. The 1.8 kb Kpnl-Hincll geneticin resistance cassette was cloned by ligation after Klenow fragment treatment. Ligation reactions were transformed into E. coli Stbl3 cells, selecting for ampicillin resistance. Insertion of the geneticin cassette was confirmed by PCR (primers N160SeqF5 (SEQ ID NO: 183) and BK468 (SEQ ID NO: 178)). The plasmid sequence is provided as SEQ ID NO: 179 (pUC19-URA3::pdc1 ::TEF(M4)-xpk1 ::kan).

The resulting integration cassette (pdc1 ::TEF(M4)-xpk1 ::KanMX::TRX1) was isolated (AscI and Nae\ digestion generated a 5.3 kb band that was gel purified) and transformed into PNY1507 using the Zymo Research Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation Kit (Cat. No. T2001). Transformants were selected by plating on YPE plus 50 pg/ml G418. Integration at the expected locus was confirmed by PCR (primers N886 (SEQ ID NO: 180) and N1214 (SEQ ID NO: 181)). Next, plasmid pRS423::GAL1p-Cre (SEQ ID NO: 71), encoding Cre recombinase, was used to remove the ΙοχΡ-flanked KanMX cassette. Proper removal of the cassette was confirmed by PCR (primers oBP512 (SEQ ID NO: 111) and N160SeqF5 (SEQ ID NO: 177)). Finally, the alsS integration plasmid (SEQ ID NO: 225, pUC19-kan::pdc1 ::FBA-alsS::TRX1, clone A) was transformed into this strain using the included geneticin selection marker. Two integrants were tested for acetolactate synthase activity by transformation with plasmids pYZ090AalsS (SEQ ID NO: 182) and pBP915 (SEQ ID NO: 166) (transformed using Protocol #2 in Amberg, Burke and Strathern "Methods in Yeast Genetics" (2005)), and evaluation of growth and isobutanol production in glucose-containing media (methods for growth and isobutanol measurement are as follows: All strains were grown in synthetic complete medium, minus histidine and uracil containing 0.3 % glucose and 0.3 % ethanol as carbon sources (10 ml_ medium in 125 ml_ vented Erlenmeyer flasks (VWR Cat. No. 89095-260). After overnight incubation (30 °C, 250 rpm in an lnnova®40 New Brunswick Scientific Shaker), cultures were diluted back to 0.2 OD (Eppendorf BioPhotometer measurement) in synthetic complete medium containing 2% glucose and 0.05% ethanol (20 ml medium in 125 mL tightly-capped Erlenmeyer flasks (VWR Cat. No. 89095-260)). After 48 hours incubation (30 °C, 250 rpm in an lnnova®40 New Brunswick Scientific Shaker), culture supernatants (collected using Spin-X centrifuge tube filter units, Costar Cat. No. 8169) were analyzed by HPLC per methods described in U.S. Appl. Pub. No. 20070092957).). One of the two clones was positive and was named PNY2218. PNY2218 was treated with Cre recombinase, and the resulting clones were screened for loss of the xpk1 gene and pUC19 integration vector sequences by PCR (primers N886 (SEQ ID NO: 180) and N160SeqR5 (SEQ ID NO: 183)). This left only the alsS gene integrated in the pdc1-TRX1 intergenic region after recombination of the DNA upstream of xpk1 and the homologous DNA introduced during insertion of the integration vector (a "scarless" insertion since vector, marker gene and loxP sequences are lost). Although this recombination could have occurred at any point, the vector integration appeared to be stable even without geneticin selection, and the recombination event was only observed after introduction of the Cre recombinase. One clone was designated PNY2211.

Example 10: Construction of PNY1528 PNY1528 (hADH integrations in PNY2211)

Deletions/integrations were created by homologous recombination with PCR products containing regions of homology upstream and downstream of the target region and the URA3 gene for selection of transformants. The URA3 gene was removed by homologous recombination to create a scarless deletion/integration.

The scarless deletion/integration procedure was adapted from Akada et al., Yeast, 23:399 (2006). The PCR cassette for each deletion/integration was made by combining four fragments, A-B-U-C, and the gene to be integrated by cloning the individual fragments into a plasmid prior to the entire cassette being amplified by PCR for the deletion/integration procedure. The gene to be integrated was included in the cassette between fragments A and B. The PCR cassette contained a selectable/counter-selectable marker, URA3 (Fragment U), consisting of the native CEN.PK 113-7D URA3 gene, along with the promoter (250 bp upstream of the URA3 gene) and terminator (150 bp downstream of the URA3 gene) regions. Fragments A and C (each approximately 100 to 500 bp long) corresponded to the sequence immediately upstream of the target region (Fragment A) and the 3' sequence of the target region (Fragment C). Fragments A and C were used for integration of the cassette into the chromosome by homologous recombination. Fragment B (500 bp long) corresponded to the 500 bp immediately downstream of the target region and was used for excision of the URA3 marker and Fragment C from the chromosome by homologous recombination, as a direct repeat of the sequence corresponding to Fragment B was created upon integration of the cassette into the chromosome. YPRCA15 deletion and horse liver adh integration

The YPRCA15 locus was deleted and replaced with the horse liver adh gene, codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with the PDC5 promoter region (538 bp) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the ADH1 terminator region (316 bp) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The scarless cassette for the YPRCA15 deletion- P[PDC5]-adh_HL(y)-ADH1t integration was first cloned into plasmid pUC19-URA3MCS.

Fragments A-B-U-C were amplified using Phusion High Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs; Ipswich, MA) and CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA as template, prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen; Valencia, CA). YPRCA15 Fragment A was amplified from genomic DNA with primer oBP622 (SEQ ID NO: 184), containing a Kpnl restriction site, and primer oBP623 (SEQ ID NO: 185), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 5’ end of YPRCA15 Fragment B. YPRCA15 Fragment B was amplified from genomic DNA with primer OBP624 (SEQ ID NO: 186), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 3’ end of YPRCA15 Fragment A, and primer OBP625 (SEQ ID NO: 187), containing a Fsel restriction site. PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). YPRCA15 Fragment A - YPRCA15 Fragment B was created by overlapping PCR by mixing the YPRCA15 Fragment A and YPRCA15 Fragment B PCR products and amplifying with primers oBP622 (SEQ ID NO: 184) and OBP625 (SEQ ID NO: 187). The resulting PCR product was digested with Kpnl and Fsel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of pUC19-URA3MCS after digestion with the appropriate enzymes. YPRCA15 Fragment C was amplified from genomic DNA with primer oBP626 (SEQ ID NO: 188), containing a Notl restriction site, and primer oBP627 (SEQ ID NO: 189), containing a Pad restriction site. The YPRCA15 Fragment C PCR product was digested with Notl and Pad and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing YPRCA15 Fragments AB. The PDC5 promoter region was amplified from CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA with primer HY21 (SEQ ID NO: 190), containing an AscI restriction site, and primer HY24 (SEQ ID NO: 191), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 5’ end of adh_HI(y). adh_HI(y)-ADH1t was amplified from pBP915 (SEQ ID NO: 166) with primers HY25 (SEQ ID NO: 192), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 3’ end of P[PDC5], and HY4 (SEQ ID NO: 193), containing a Pmel restriction site. PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). P[PDC5]-adh_HL(y)-ADH1t was created by overlapping PCR by mixing the P[PDC5] and adh_HL(y)-ADH1t PCR products and amplifying with primers HY21 (SEQ ID NO: 190) and HY4 (SEQ ID NO: 193).The resulting PCR product was digested with AscI and Pmel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing YPRCA15 Fragments ABC. The entire integration cassette was amplified from the resulting plasmid with primers OBP622 (SEQ ID NO: 184) and OBP627 (SEQ ID NO: 189).

Competent cells of PNY2211 were made and transformed with the YPRCA15 deletion- P[PDC5]-adh_HL(y)-ADH1t integration cassette PCR product using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research; Orange, CA). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol at 30C. Transformants were screened for by PCR with primers URA3-end F (SEQ ID NO: 194) and oBP637 (SEQ ID NO: 195). Correct transformants were grown in YPE (1% ethanol) and plated on synthetic complete medium supplemented with 1% EtOH and containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion of YPRCA15 and integration of P[PDC5]-adh_FIL(y)-ADH1t were confirmed by PCR with external primers OBP636 (SEQ ID NO: 124) and OBP637 (SEQ ID NO: 195) using genomic DNA prepared with a YeaStar Genomic DNA kit (Zymo Research). A correct isolate of the following genotype was selected for further modification: CEN.PK 113-7D MATa ura3A::loxP his3A pdc6A pdc1A::P[PDC1]-DHAD|ilvD_Sm-PDC1t-P[FBA1]-ALS|alsS_Bs-CYC1t pdc5A::P[PDC5]-ADH|sadB_Ax-PDC5t gpd2A::loxP fra2A adh1 Δ:: UAS(PGK1 )P[FBA1 ]-kivD_LI(y)-ADH 11 yprcAl 5Δ:: P[PDC5]- ADH|adh_HI-ADH1t.

Horse liver adh integration at fra2A

The horse liver adh gene, codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with the PDC1 promoter region (870 bp) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the ADH1 terminator region (316 bp) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was integrated into the site of the fra2 deletion. The scarless cassette for the fra2A- P[PDC1]-adh_HL(y)-ADH1t integration was first cloned into plasmid pUC19-URA3MCS.

Fragments A-B-U-C were amplified using Phusion High Fidelity PCR Master Mix (New England BioLabs; Ipswich, MA) and CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA as template, prepared with a Gentra Puregene Yeast/Bact kit (Qiagen; Valencia, CA). fra2A Fragment C was amplified from genomic DNA with primer OBP695 (SEQ ID NO: 197), containing a Notl restriction site, and primer oBP696 (SEQ ID NO: 198), containing a Pad restriction site. The fra2A Fragment C PCR product was digested with Notl and Pad and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of pUC19-URA3MCS. fra2A Fragment B was amplified from genomic DNA with primer OBP693 (SEQ ID NO: 199), containing a Pmel restriction site, and primer OBP694 (SEQ ID NO: 200), containing a Fsel restriction site. The resulting PCR product was digested with Pmel and Fsel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing fra2A fragment C after digestion with the appropriate enzymes. fra2A Fragment A was amplified from genomic DNA with primer oBP691 (SEQ ID NO: 201), containing BamHI and AsiSI restriction sites, and primer oBP692 (SEQ ID NO: 202), containing AscI and Swal restriction sites. The fra2A fragment A PCR product was digested with BamHI and AscI and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing fra2A fragments BC after digestion with the appropriate enzymes. The PDC1 promoter region was amplified from CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA with primer HY16 (SEQ ID NO: 203), containing an AscI restriction site, and primer HY19 (SEQ ID NO: 204), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 5’ end of adh_HI(y). adh_HI(y)-ADH1t was amplified from pBP915 with primers HY20 (SEQ ID NO: 205), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 3’ end of P[PDC1], and HY4 (SEQ ID NO: 193), containing a Pmel restriction site. PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). P[PDC1]-adh_HL(y)-ADH1t was created by overlapping PCR by mixing the P[PDC1] and adh_HL(y)-ADH1t PCR products and amplifying with primers HY16 (SEQ ID NO: 203) and HY4 (SEQ ID NO: 193).The resulting PCR product was digested with AscI and Pmel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing fra2A Fragments ABC. The entire integration cassette was amplified from the resulting plasmid with primers OBP691 (SEQ ID NO: 201) and OBP696 (SEQ ID NO: 198).

Competent cells of the PNY2211 variant with adh_HI(y) integrated at YPRCA15were made and transformed with the fra2A- P[PDC1]-adh_HL(y)-ADH1t integration cassette PCR product using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol at 30C. Transformants were screened for by PCR with primers URA3-end F (SEQ ID NO: 194) and oBP731 (SEQ ID NO: 206). Correct transformants were grown in YPE (1% ethanol) and plated on synthetic complete medium supplemented with 1% EtOH and containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The integration of P[PDC1]-adh_HL(y)-ADH1t was confirmed by colony PCR with internal primer HY31 (SEQ ID NO: 207) and external primer OBP731 (SEQ ID NO: 155) and PCR with external primers oBP730 (SEQ ID NO: 208) and oBP731 (SEQ ID NO: 206) using genomic DNA prepared with a YeaStar Genomic DNA kit (Zymo Research). A correct isolate of the following genotype was designated PNY1528: CEN.PK 113-7D MATa ura3A::loxP his3A pdc6A pdc1A::P[PDC1]-DHAD|ilvD_Sm-PDC1t-P[FBA1 ]-ALS|alsS_Bs-CYC11 pdc5A::P[PDC5]-ADH|sadB_Ax-PDC5t gpd2A::loxP fra2A::P[PDC1]-ADH|adh_HI-ADH1t adh1 Δ:: UAS(PGK1 )P[FBA1 ]-kivD_LI(y)-ADH 11 yprcAl 5Δ:: P[PDC5]- ADH|adh_HI-ADH1t.

Example 11: Construction of strains PNY1549, PNY1550, and PNY1551.

The purpose of this example is to describe the assembly of the constructs used to replace the chromosomal copy of kivD_LI(y) in PNY1528 at the adh1A locus with kivD_Lg(y) or kivD_Mc(y) and construction of isobutanologen strains PNY1549, PNY1550, and PNY1551 expressing the kivD genes.

Deletions/integrations were created by homologous recombination with PCR products containing regions of homology upstream and downstream of the target region and the URA3 gene for selection of transformants. The URA3 gene was removed by homologous recombination to create a scarless deletion/integration. The scarless deletion/integration procedure was adapted from Akada et al., Yeast, 23:399, 2006. The PCR cassette for each deletion/integration was made by combining four fragments, A-B-U-C, and the gene to be integrated by cloning the individual fragments into a plasmid prior to the entire cassette being amplified by PCR for the deletion/integration procedure. The gene to be integrated was included in the cassette between fragments A and B. The PCR cassette contained a selectable/counter-selectable marker, URA3 (Fragment U), consisting of the native CEN.PK 113-7D URA3 gene, along with the promoter (250 bp upstream of the URA3 gene) and terminator (150 bp downstream of the URA3 gene) regions. Fragments A and C (500 bp long) corresponded to the sequence immediately upstream of the target region (Fragment A) and the 3' sequence of the target region (Fragment C). Fragments A and C were used for integration of the cassette into the chromosome by homologous recombination. Fragment B (500 bp long) corresponded to the 500 bp immediately downstream of the target region and was used for excision of the URA3 marker and Fragment C from the chromosome by homologous recombination, as a direct repeat of the sequence corresponding to Fragment B was created upon integration of the cassette into the chromosome.

The plasmids to integrate kivD_Lg(y) and kivD_Mc(y) were derived from a plasmid constructed to integrate UAS(PGK1)P[FBA1]-kivD_LI(y) into the ADH1 locus of Saccaromyces cerevisiae. Construction of the plasmid used to integrate UAS(PGK1)P[FBA1]-kivD_LI(y) into the ADH1 locus is described below. The plasmids were constructed in pUC19-URA3MCS.

Construction of the ADH1 deletion/UAS(PGK1)P[FBA1l-kivD Ll(v) integration plasmid

The kivD coding region from Lactococcus lactis codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, kivD_LI(y), was amplified using pLH468 (SEQ ID NO: 70) as template with primer oBP562 (SEQ ID NO: 153) , containing a Pmel restriction site, and primer oBP563 (SEQ ID NO: 154) , containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 5’ end of ADH1 Fragment B. ADH1 Fragment B was amplified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PK 113-7D genomic DNA with primer oBP564 (SEQ ID NO: 155), containing a 5’ tail with homology to the 3’ end of kivDJLi(y), and primer oBP565 (SEQ ID NO: 156), containing a Fsel restriction site. PCR products were purified with a PCR Purification kit (Qiagen; Valencia, CA). kivD_LI(y)-ADFI1 Fragment B was created by overlapping PCR by mixing the kivD_LI(y) and ADH1 Fragment B PCR products and amplifying with primers oBP562 (SEQ ID NO: 153) and oBP565 (SEQ ID NO 156). The resulting PCR product was digested with Pmel and Fsel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of pUC19-URA3MCS after digestion with the appropriate enzymes. ADFI1 Fragment A was amplified from genomic DNA with primer oBP505 (SEQ ID NO: 157), containing a Sacl restriction site, and primer oBP506 (SEQ ID NO: 158), containing an AscI restriction site. The ADFI1 Fragment A PCR product was digested with Sacl and AscI and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing kivD_LI(y)-ADFI1 Fragment B. ADH1 Fragment C was amplified from genomic DNA with primer oBP507 (SEQ ID NO: 159), containing a Pad restriction site, and primer oBP508 (SEQ ID NO: 160), containing a Sail restriction site. The ADFI1 Fragment C PCR product was digested with Pad and Sail and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing ADH1 Fragment A-kivD_LI(y)-ADFI1 Fragment B. The hybrid promoter UAS(PGK1)-Pfbai (SEQ ID NO: 161) was amplified from vector pRS316- UAS(PGK1)-Pfbai-GUS with primer 0BP674 (SEQ ID NO: 162), containing an AscI restriction site, and primer OBP675 (SEQ ID NO: 163), containing a Pmel restriction site. The UAS(PGK1)-Pfbai PCR product was digested with AscI and Pmel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the plasmid containing kivD_LI(y)-ADH1 Fragments ABC to generate pBP1181.

Construction of pBP1716, PBP1719, and pBP2019 kivDLI(y) was removed from the ADH1 deletion/UAS(PGK1)P[FBA1]-kivD_LI(y) integration plasmid pBP1181. The plasmid was digested with Pmel and Fsel and the large DNA fragment was purified on an agarose gel followed by a gel extraction kit (Qiagen). ADFI1 fragment B was amplified from pBP1181 with primer OBP821 (SEQ ID NO: 210), containing a Pmel restriction site, and primer oBP484 (SEQ ID NO: 211), containing a Fsel restriction site. The ADH1 fragment B PCR product was digested with Pmel and Fsel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites of the gel purified large DNA fragment. A PCR fragment corresponding to the 3’ 500bp of kivD_LI(y) was cloned into the resulting vector for the targeted deletion of kivD_LI(y) in PNY1528. The fragment was amplified from pBP1181 with primers oBP822 (SEQ ID NO: 212), containing a Notl restriction site, and OBP823 (SEQ ID NO: 213), containing a Pad restriction site. The fragment was digested with Notl and Pad and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding sites downstream of URA3 in the above plasmid with the kivD_LI(y) deletion after digestion with the appropriate restriction enzymes. The resulting plasmid was designated pBP1716.

The kivD coding region from Listeria grayi codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SEQ ID NO: 214), kivD_Lg(y), was synthesized by DNA2.0 (Menlo Park, CA). kivD_Lg(y) was amplified with primers oBP828 (SEQ ID NO: 215), containing a Pmel restriction site, and oBP829 (SEQ ID NO: 216) containing a Pmel restriction site. The resulting PCR product was digested with Pmel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding site in pBP1716 after digestion with the appropriate enzyme. The orientation of the cloned gene was checked by PCR with primers FBAp-F (SEQ ID NO: 217) and OBP829 (SEQ ID NO: 216). An isolate with kivD_Lg(y) in the correct orientation was designated pBP1719.

The kivD coding region from Macrococcus caseolyticus codon optimized for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SEQ ID NO: 224), kivD Mc(y), was synthesized by DNA2.0 (Menlo Park, CA). kivD_Mc(y) was amplified with primers oBP900 (SEQ ID NO: 226), containing a Pmel restriction site, and oBP901 (SEQ ID NO: 227) containing a Pmel restriction site. The resulting PCR product was digested with Pmel and ligated with T4 DNA ligase into the corresponding site in pBP1716 after digestion with the appropriate enzyme. The orientation of the cloned gene was checked by PCR with primers FBAp-F (SEQ ID NO: 217) and oBP901 (SEQ ID NO: 227). An isolate with kivD_Mc(y) in the correct orientation was designated pBP2019.

Construction of strains PNY1549, PNY1550. and PNY1551

Strain PNY1528 was transformed with plasmids pl_H702 and pYZ067AkivDAhADH. A transformant was designated PNY1549.

The kivD_LI(y) deletion/kivD_Lg(y) integration cassette was amplified from pBP1719 with primers OBP505 (SEQ ID NO: 73) and oBP823 (SEQ ID NO: 213). Competent cells of the PNY1528 were made and transformed with the PCR product using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research; Orange, CA). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol at 30C. Transformants were grown in YPE (1% ethanol) and plated on synthetic complete medium supplemented with 1% EtOH and containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion of kivD_LI(y) and integration of kivD_Lg(y) was confirmed by PCR with primers oBP674 (SEQ ID NO: 162) and OBP830 (SEQ ID NO: 220) using genomic DNA prepared with a YeaStar Genomic DNA kit (Zymo Research). A correct isolate contained kivD_Lg(y) at the same locus and expressed from the same promoter as kivD_LI(y) in PNY1528. An isolate was transformed with plasmids pl_H702 and pYZ067AkivDAhADH. A transformant was designated PNY1550.

The kivD_LI(y) deletion/kivD_Mc(y) integration cassette was amplified from pBP2019 with primers OBP505 (SEQ ID NO: 157) and OBP823 (SEQ ID NO: 213). Competent cells of the PNY1528 were made and transformed with the PCR product using a Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II kit (Zymo Research). Transformation mixtures were plated on synthetic complete media lacking uracil supplemented with 1% ethanol at 30C. Transformants were screened for by PCR with primers HY51 (SEQ ID NO: 221) and OBP906 (SEQ ID NO: 222). Correct transformants were grown in YPE (1% ethanol) and plated on synthetic complete medium supplemented with 1% EtOH and containing 5-fluoro-orotic acid (0.1%) at 30 C to select for isolates that lost the URA3 marker. The deletion of kivD_LI(y) and integration of kivD_Mc(y) was confirmed by PCR with primers HY50 (SEQ ID NO: 223) and HY51 (SEQ ID NO: 221) using genomic DNA prepared with a YeaStar Genomic DNA kit (Zymo Research). A correct isolate contained kivD_Mc(y) at the same locus and expressed from the same promoter as kivD_LI(y) in PNY1528. An isolate was transformed with plasmids pLH702 and pYZ067AkivDAhADH. A transformant was designated PNY1551.

Example 12: KIVD fermentations Methods:

Inoculum preparation

For each strain, a single frozen vial was thawed and transferred to 10 ml_ seed medium in a 125 mL vented shake flask, and incubated at 30°C and 300 rpm shaking for overnight growth. Five mL of the overnight culture was then transferred to a 250 mL vented shake flask with 75 mL of the seed medium for overnight growth at 30°C and 300 rpm shaking. When the culture reached OD600 1-2, the flask culture was used to inoculate the 1L fermenter. The seed medium composition is as follows: yeast nitrogen base without amino acids (Difco), 6.7 g/L; Yeast Synthetic

Drop-out Medium Supplements without histidine, leucine, tryptophan and uracil (Sigma), 2.8 g/L; L-leucine, 20 mg/L; L-tryptophan, 4 mg/L; Thiamine HCI, 20 mg/L; niacin, 20 mg/L; ethanol, 3 g/L; glucose 10 g/L. The pH was adjusted to 5.2 with 20% potassium hydroxide, and the medium filter sterilized through a 0.22 μ filter.

Fermenter preparation and operation:

Fermentations were carried out in 1L Biostat B DCU3 fermenters (Sartorius, USA). Off-gas composition was monitored by a Prima DB mass spectrometer (Thermo Electron Corp., USA). To measure the isobutanol and ethanol in the off-gas, the gas was first passed through a 1 liter Shott bottle with 0.5 L water, placed in an ice water bath, before sending to the mass spectrometer. The temperature of the fermenter was maintained at 30 °C, and pH controlled at 5.2 with 20% KOH throughout the entire fermentation. Aeration was controlled at 0.2 standard liters per minute, and agitation controlled at 100 rpm. Dissolved oxygen was not controlled, and was non-detectable for most of the fermentation. Samples were drawn and analyzed for optical density at 600 nm and for glucose concentration by a YSI Select Biochemisty Analyzer (YSI, Inc., Yellow Springs, Ohio). Using this analysis, glucose was maintained in excess (5-20 g/L) by manual additions of a 50% (w/w) solution.

The medium used for the fermentations was prepared as follows: prior to sterilization, 520 mL water with 4.0 g ammonium sulfate, 2.2 g potassium phosphate monobasic, 1.5 g magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, and 0.2 mL Sigma Antifoam 204 was transferred to the fermenter. The fermenters were sterilized at 12T C for 30 minutes. After cooling to the set point of 30°C, the post sterilization ingredients were added aeseptically via a pump. The post sterilization ingredients are made in 200 mL total volume: 4.8 mL of a trace mineral solution (prepared in 1 L water: 15 g EDTA, 4.5 g zinc sulfate heptahydrate, 0.8 g manganese chloride dehydrate, 0.3 g cobalt chloride hexahydrate, 0.3 g copper sulfate pentahydrate, 0.4 g disodium molybdenum dehydrate, 4.5 g calcium chloride dihydrate, 3 g iron sulfate heptahydrate, 1 g boric acid, 0.1 g potassium iodide), 0.8 ml_ of a vitamin mixture (in 1 L water, 50 mg biotin, 1 g Ca-pantothenate, 1 g nicotinic acid, 25 g myo-inositol, 1 g pyridoxol hydrochloride, 0.2 g p-aminobenzoic acid), 16 g glucose, 3 ml_ ethanol, 12.8 mg L-leucine, 3.2 mg L-tryptophan, 2.2 g Yeast Synthetic Drop-out Medium Supplements without histidine, leucine, tryptophan and uracil (Sigma), thiamine HCI was added in the amounts indicated in Table 1 for a specific fermentation, and deionized water to bring the volume to 200 ml_; the solution was filter sterilized prior to addition to the fermenter. Final volume of the fermenter, post inoculation, was 800 ml_.

Measurements of glucose, isobutanol, and other fermentation byproducts in the culture supernatant were carried out by HPLC, using a Bio-Rad Aminex HPX-87H column (Bio-Rad, USA), with refractive index (Rl) and a diode array (210 nm) detectors, with an Agilent 1100 series HPLC (Agilent, USA). Chromatographic separation was achieved using 0.01 N H2SO4 as the mobile phase with a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min and a column temperature of 40 °C. The water trap was sampled at the end of the fermentation and analyzed by the same HPLC method. The weight of water in the trap was also measured to determine the total amount of isobutanol and ethanol stripped from the fermenter. The glucose concentration in the feed bottle was determined with a Mettler Toledo RE40 Refractometer (Mettler Toledo, USA) at 20°C. Reported yields are based on glucose consumed. The yield of isobutanol includes isobutanol in the fermentation broth and in the water trap at the last sample. Figure 2 shows the molar yields of isobutanol and α-ketoisovalerate for each strain at each thiamine concentration. Figure 3 shows the concentration of a-ketoisovalerate over the fermentation time for each strain at each thiamine concentration.

Table 13: Experimental design. All fermenters were prepared as described above, with the following thiamine additions, and strains used. Results are given for the end of fermentation sample, at 70-72 hours elapsed fermentation time.

Claims (18)

1. The Claims defining the invention are as follows:

   1. A method of converting cc-ketoisovalerate to isobutyraldehyde comprising: a. providing a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises: (i) at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51 or an active fragment thereof; and (ii) α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity, a specificity ratio for a-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate greater than 1, and thiamine diphosphate cofactor activation constant (Kc) of about 50 μΜ or less; and b. contacting said polypeptide with α-ketoisovaierate under conditions wherein isobutyraldehyde is produced.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the polypeptide has a KIVD cluster profile HMM E value of less than 1E-223 using the hmmsearch program.
3. 3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the contacting occurs within a recombinant host cell and wherein the polypeptide is heterologous to recombinant host cell.
4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the recombinant host cell is a member of the genera Clostridium, Zymomonas, Escherichia, Salmonella, Serratia, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Shigella, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Alcaligenes, Klebsiella, Paenibacillus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Schizosaccharomyces, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia, Pichia, Candida, Hansenula, or Saccharomyces.
5. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the recombinant host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
6. 6. The method of any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the recombinant host cell further comprises heterologous polynucleotides encoding polypeptides which catalyze the substrate to product conversions: (a) pyruvate to acetolactate; (b) acetolactate to 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate; and (c) 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to 2-ketoisovalerate.
7. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the host cell further comprises a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which catalyzes the substrate to product conversion isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol.
8. 8. The method of any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the recombinant host cell further comprises reduced or eliminated pyruvate decarboxylase activity.
9. 9. The method of any one of claims 3 to 8 wherein, the recombinant host cell further comprises at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide affecting Fe-S cluster biosynthesis.
10. 10. The method of any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the recombinant host cell comprises deletion of fra2.
11. 11. The method of any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the recombinant host cell comprises reduced or eliminated glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity.
12. 12. A method of producing isobutanol comprising: a. providing a recombinant host cell comprising an isobutanol production pathway, the production pathway comprising a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises: (i) at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51 or an active fragment thereof; and (ii) α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase activity, a specificity ratio for a-ketoisovalerate to pyruvate greater than 1, and thiamine diphosphate cofactor activation constant (K0) of about 50 μΜ or less; and b. contacting the recombinant host cell with a carbon substrate under conditions whereby isobutanol is produced.
13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the polypeptide has a KIVD cluster profile HMM E value of less than 1E-223 using the hmmsearch program.
14. 14. The method of claim 12 or claim 13 further comprising isolating the isobutanol using liquid-liquid extraction.
15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the extractant is selected from the group consisting of C12 to C22 fatty alcohols, C12 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C12 to C22 fatty acids, C12 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
16. 16. The method of any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the recombinant host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
17. 17. A method of producing isobutanol comprising: a. providing a recombinant host cell comprising an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway comprising a polypeptide having at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 51; and b. contacting the recombinant host cell with a carbon substrate under conditions whereby isobutanol is produced.
18. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said contacting occurs in the presence of less than about 30 g/L thiamine.